The Wire (2002 - 2008)

I was completely oblivious to what The Wire was until I got to university. There, I found teachers who hailed the TV show as one of the best ever made, even though it had fairly modest exposure for something that was critically acclaimed. 
Fast forward a few years later, I’m out of "uni" and in the UK making my living. In my work place, a few more join hands with my former professors, often stating how great The Wire is. 
It became clear to me that I had no choice. I would have to see it and judge for myself.

Started the first season and to my surprise it wasn’t exactly what I expected. Not the content per say, but my reaction to it. I didn’t feel like I was highly entertained or even eager enough to watch the next episodes. This lasted until the 5^th or 6^th episode of the first season where I found myself completely immersed in the plot and connected to the characters. Be it hero or villain, it’s easy to create some kind of bond with most of the people wondering on Baltimore’s streets.
That's one of the added values of the series. It doesn't revolve around one or two characters, although obviously a few might get highlighted by the audience... However, each person has their own view and favorites in the show. It is hard to be totally unanimous.

From then on, going from mid 1st season to the very end of season 5 – the series’ finale – you cannot be indifferent to what’s happening on screen… “Spot on” (The Wire fans will know the reference) casting, brilliant acting, smart scripts and above all else, a genuine realistic feel to it. David Simon and Ed Burns did a magnificent job with their creation, which is based on their experience as a journalist and police officer respectively. 

I highly recommend watching what is regarded as one of the best cult TV classic shows to ever be broadcasted.

My Tears Are Becoming a Sea

by: M83

I Need

by: Maverick Sabre

Metronomy - Nights Out (2008)

For a lot of people, Metronomy only rose to prominence with their last album The English Riviera in 2011, however, before the acclaimed album came out, the English band already had two other projects under their belt:  Pip Paine (Pay The £5000 You Owe) in 2006 and Nights Out two years after their debut album.

Their first had too much of an electronic element for my taste... It wasn't really a record that I enjoyed listening to, but Nights Out is definetely a top notch work. And it gets better with time and with each live performance. That's how it worked with me...

I was fortunate enough to see Metronomy in 2011 at the Royal Albert Hall in London. It was a solid gig, but not spectacular has I envisioned. It was clear to me that my opinion was highly affected by my seats, which even thought being very good (we had a box just for our group of friends), it was far from the action near the centre of the stage. There is were you feel the intensity and you loosen up. You sing, you dance and you feel the contagious environment around you. It's more of a fun party atmosphere, while at the same time you can be focused on the music.

That's what I came to feel a year later when I saw them again, this time at one of Portugal's finest Summer festivals: Optimus Alive.

They started playing at 3:00am on a Sunday (remember, most people had to work the next day). You would think that after 3 days of music and so late at night on a Sunday... it wouldn't be a full house. But against all odds, the place was tearing apart. The band engaged in a 2:30h gig leaving everyone in a state of ecstasy. And it was then and there that Nights Out took over a place in my heart. The beats and melodies from that night still resonate in my head til this day. It's so easy for me to travel back to that special event. I just grab my iPod and let it play... And it just so happens... I'm in that mood right now!

Got No Money

by: Fidlar

Heleno (2012) - Trailer

Upcoming movie about Botafogo legend Heleno de Freitas

Facebook = Chairs

Great advertisement.

Inhale

by: Foals

I'll Be Gone Til' November

by: Wyclef Jean

IMDB Top 250 in 2 1/2 Minutes

Uncle Drew: Chapter 2

Skyfall (2012)

Ian Fleming's secret agent 007 comes to screen once more for the 23rd movie dedicated to the franchise. 

Shortly after being announced that Sam Mendes would take the helms of this project, the hype began to grow, something that is quite understandable. In all these years that I've been following James Bond's "career", not once do I remember having an Academy award winner direct one of his films.

Skyfall (2012) looked promising and if expectations were high, they gained epic proportions has time went by. The advertising campaign was amazing, with a special moment clinging on most people's mind. I'm talking about Daniel Craig's cameo as James Bond during the opening ceremony for the 2012 Olympics. Quite an original stunt I would say...

By this point we were close to its début... and when the time came for Skyfall to be revealed to a selected audience and critics, the results came in: It was said to be one of the finest Bond movies ever made.

I wasn't surprised. Since they've decided to reboot the series and give it a much darker and serious tone, 007 increased its quality much to credit of screenwriters and directors, but also Daniel Craig's performance, arguably the best MI6 agent since Sean Connery (I can't really decide which of them I like best).

Casino Royale (2006) based on Fleming's first Bond, took the character to early stages and from there we've seen the English spy grow and mature into the James Bond we all know. Quantum of Solace (2008) delivered a different pace and face to the agent, much to dislike of fans worldwide, however, it is my belief that people didn't take into account their new approach but also what happened in the previous film. Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace (2008) are connected and same was expected - at least by me - for Skyfall. Rather than treating each film as a separate adventure (like they did with the old ones), there is a sense of continuity with the contemporary versions. Here in fact, the new and improved Bond films work as a prequel of sorts, taking the whole series to level one, but always maintaining part of the essence that made this "spy saga". We still get the gadgets and the action sequences - although with a more realistic touch - and the intro generic remains pretty vintage, including the theme songs, which seem to be - regardless of the time and age we are in - all in the same tone. Even in the narrative style adopted, they find ways to fit in tributes to the "oldies", example of such is the Austin Martin used in Skyfall... a clear reference to 1964's Goldfinger. More is to be said, but my point is not to hand out any spoilers. All I can say is that you will be very satisfied with what Mendes has done with the newest Bond, which by the way marks the 50th anniversary of the character.

Be sure to see it!

Back Down South

by: Kings of Leon

Just in case you didn't know, they are coming to Portugal for next year's Optimus Alive.

Mr. November (Live Directors Cut)

by: The National

6º Graus de Separação

by: Oficio

Shut Up and Play The Hits (2012)

Shut Up and Play The Hits (2012) is a musical documentary directed by Dylan Southern and Will Lovelace, that chronicles LCD Soundsystem's last show at Madison Square Garden (New York) on the 2nd of April 2012. 

  (poster for their last gig)

While offering an insight to their last gig, the documentary also reveals - in intersected scenes - LCD's front-man James Murphy, in a 48 hour period after "the end" of one of the most iconic groups of the last decade. During this time we go behind the scenes during an interview conducted by journalist Chuck Klosterman, and we witness how Murphy slowly coops not only with the end of a project, but also a musical era.

This is obviously something very dear to me and you would figure my expectations were high just because of what this feature entailed... But even before I finally undergone this intimate travel, for a long time I was with high hopes for this. The trailer was probably the biggest responsible for that build up. It gave epic proportions to the whole event and having in consideration this would mark the actual end of one of my favourite bands, it was hard not to expect something colossal. Truth be told, the gig itself is amazing and I dare anyone to watch this and not admitting that - even if just for a small moment - they felt bad for not attending what it seemed to be "the best funeral ever". Nonetheless, the more intimate scenes, with Murphy conceding the interview, liaising with his friends and crew and his emotional adjustment, are not spectacular. For you to enjoy it at its fullest, I believe you first need to feel emotionally attached... Meaning, if you are not a big fan, this will come more hard for you to digest. The interview does enlighten you in a lot of things concerning the New York band, but everything else makes this project feel slightly depressing when, at least from what I perceived, the idea was to celebrate their ending. As the tag-line suggests "if this is a funeral, let's make it the best funeral ever".

I still very much recommend it, but rather than suggesting to everyone, I'll just stick to their fans. The gig is superbly well filmed, the music is fantastic and there's pretty good content. Even if you don't know them, you won't feel like you've waster your time, however, if you like LCD Soundsystem... you will take a lot more from the documentary.

Jimi Hendrix - Valleys of Neptune (2010)

Released in 2010, long after "Guitar God" Jimi Hendrix passed away in 1970, Valleys of Neptune was recorded between 1967 - 1970, with most of its songs be worked on in 1969.

It's one of Hendrix's finest works and I recommend anyone who enjoys music - specially if you have a thing for guitars - to listen to.

Tom Hanks

Close to making its début on theatres this weekend, Cloud Atlas (2012), the website Rotten Tomatoes just published a post with Tom Hanks's best work. (click here). 

That - and a facebook conversation this week - inspired me to write something about the magnificent Mr. Hanks.

Tom Hanks is by far my favourite actor since I was a little kid. I remember, being about 8/9 years old and watching on a regular basis films such as Big, Turner & Hooch, Splash, The Man With One Red Shoe,  Joe Versus The Volcano, Punchline, The Burbs, A League of their Own and Sleepless in Seattle. I also remember his guest role as Michael J Fox's uncle in the TV show Family Ties.

I never saw Bosom Buddies, a TV show that launched Hanks into his stardom path... but I went the distance, going back and forward, trying and watch all of his filmography so I could almost feel like an expert in his career, while at the same time, creating sort of a spiritual bond with someone that I felt like I knew.

I was sure he was special. He had a certain charisma, different from anyone else. And yes, even though a lot of what I'd seen was during my childhood, I was already sunk deep in to the cinema world, due to my Mom's influence, therefore, I felt like I was able to "pass judgement" when it came to "the movies". I had something to say.

His dramatic roles came as an exclamation point in his career. I became certain that he was head and shoulders above anyone else. Many of his movies are among my favourites, being two - Philadelphia and Forrest Gump - in my all-time top 5! Keep in mind, both these films granted him two back-to-back Oscars in 1993 and 1994 (click on the links for acceptance speeches).

My list of favourites goes on and includes Big, Apollo 13, Green Mile, Saving Private Ryan, Road to Perdition, Cast Away, Catch Me If You Can, The Terminal all of which I possess in my precious DVD collection.

Even for what some is an average role or movie, for me resonated in a different way. They are all linked to memories and feelings. I remember laughing hard, being scared or crying like there was no tomorrow...  All to Tom Hank's orchestrated skill. So, before I leave you with the videos below, just want to acknowledge how late this post is. I should have done this a long time ago, but at the same time, I'm sure this man doesn't need any introductions and most of you are fans just like I am. If not, please educate yourselves into watching his body of work. As he puts it in his first Inside The Actors Studio's appearance:

They last forever, you know, these movies.

MJ vs Kobe - Part II

Click here (zoom it) and let the facts speak for themselves

Who's better?

When football meets a great song

Not my typical thing to upload a compilation of goals in my blog, but thought the combination of We Were Promised Jetpacks's track It's Thunder and It's Lightning with last week's best goals... was just incredible. Thought the track suited perfectly the pace of the action... but truth be told, maybe in my mind anything would blend in with their songs.

I've easily became a big fan of the Scottish band, after listening their first album These Four Walls - one of my all time favourites.

Anyway, hope you can enjoy - as I did - the following compilation of superb football finishing, as well as the soundtrack.

Freaking Out The Neighborhood

by: Mac DeMarco

Looper (2012)

In his third directorial effort, Rian Johnson was able to not only keep the same high level of quality film-making, but even improve it... and he did so, by stepping new grounds.  

Looper (2012) comes across like a Sci-Fi movie that allows people to reflect in the art of story-telling and also in it's clear and profound message. It's definitely a project that will sustain itself as one of the greats of 2012 that will certainly be held as a cult classic. It's that good! 

But even thought great part of the success comes from directing and scripting skills, a lot has to be said about the casting.
In my mind, it would be very difficult for Looper to enjoy it's acclaimed status if not for the efforts of Bruce Willis and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Willis does what he does best, in a role that looked like it was written with only him in mind. It's pure, classic, vintage Bruce Willis in action... including good acting and terrific lines. Gordon-Levitt, joins Johnson once more, after working with the American director in Brick (2005). Even thought this is not a kind of character that we are used to see JGL portray, it just comes to show how versatile he can be. 

Hopefully we will get to see a growing relationship between both the actor and director since working together is becoming a synonymous of great cinema.   

In conclusion, if you haven't seen it already, please make your best effort to go watch it while it's still in display at your local cinemas and let me know if you agree that it's one of the best features 2012 has to offer.

Away FRM U

by: Oberhofer

I'm trying Jacques Audiard... I really am!

The posters above are the two latest Audiard's movies that I've seen... Both acclaimed by critics and audiences and both seen under great expectations.

For some reason, I'm unable to "LOVE" Jacques Audiard's movies. Un Prophète (2009) - although good - didn't satisfy my expectations... and now De battre mon cœur s'est arrêté (2005) - which I just saw - followed the same route. I really wanted to love both of them, but they felt short...

Somehow I feel guilty... Like I wasn't able to understand or appreciate the art of one of the best French film-makers around. That's a compliment that I easily concede, even thought I don't come across as a big fan of his work.

Very soon I will see his most recent project De rouille et d'os (2012) featuring Marion Cotillard in the leading role. Let's hope this can help me change my mind about Monsieur Audiard.