John Mayer - London 02 Arena 14.10.19

Saw John Mayer last night at the O2 arena and have to say it exceeded my expectations.

For years I’ve been a fan of the virtuoso musician, ever since I saw and heard the the superb live gig at Nokia Center in LA on DVD.

But that was not always the case.

The 41-year-old singer/songwriter began his career very much deep into pop music, releasing singles such as Your Body is a Wonderland, a tune that would play repeatedly in radios in Portugal, which made me hate him without ever giving him a proper chance. This only changed when years later I read a Rolling Stone magazine which featured Mayer alongside two of my favorite guitarists: Derek Trucks and John Frusciante.

Immediately I felt the need to investigate and determine why John Mayer, a "cheesy" pop artist (so I thought), was taking pictures with two great guitar masters.

Turns out Mayer was brought up in the blues scene, having admired and studied the art form developed by some of his personal heroes like BB King, Eric Clapton and - his personal favorite and one of my own as well - Stevie Ray Vaughn.

That’s when I decided to buy the DVD Where The Light Is and dig in to his music.

It blew my mind.

In that same LA gig, Mayer began with a set of acoustic tunes by himself, followed by a second set with his trio and was later on, joined by a bigger ensemble in a third and final set.

Between these sets, Mayer went from acoustic to electric and erupted in full blues mode, even playing a standard (Everyday I Have The Blues) and paying homage to the great Jimi Hendrix (Wait Until Tomorrow). In between he would play his own compositions, delivering epic solos, like the ones in Slow Dancing in a Burning Room and his absolute masterpiece Gravity.

With a gig like this in mind, you can imagine the bar was pretty high... But Mayer and his band didn’t disappoint.

The Grammy-winning musician showed up with two rhythmic guitars, a drummer, a percussionist, keys, bass and two backing vocals. The stage was set to a fabulous night which would put a tick on yet another bucket list item of mine.

Joined by my great friend Nada - to whom I’m eternally grateful for the ticket and company - we enjoyed a privileged view of the setting, well put together by the production designers, for a gig that went beyond the two hours filled with Mayer’s hits, included both of which I highlighted earlier.

My only question at the time was: how similar or how different will those songs be played out tonight, to the version I’m most familiar with from the LA gig?

The answer lies in between and that compromise was nothing but a dream (Gravity in particular had a killer intro delivered by singer / guitarist David Ryan Harris)

Can’t even dare to complain about some of the tracks I would have liked to hear, after such a display - spread across two long sets and an encore.

The truth is, whether you like Mayer or not, he's undeniably  one of the best guitar players of our generation and belongs rightly so next to the likes of Trucks, Frusciante, Tom Morello and Gary Clark Jr (just to name a few).

I’ll leave here (and here) some of tonight’s epic moments just to prove that.

You're welcome.

Kings of Leon: My new favourite cover band

Kings of Leon performing two different covers and showing how to make a song better than the original.

Dancing on my own (Robyn cover)



Hands to myself (Selena Gomez cover)

Movies seen during the last week

Cool Hand Luke (1967)

A timeless cinema classic featuring one of Paul Newman's most iconic roles.

Dolor y Gloria (2019)

Easily one of my Top 5 movies of this year. Fantastic work from Spain's master director Pedro Almodovar, with an amazing cast led by a superb Antonio Banderas. The Spanish actor really puts a performance, likely - I think - inspired by his director's persona. Also worth mentioning the actor Asier Etxeandia, with an equally memorable role.

The Farewell (2019)

A very sweet, tender film. One which most audiences can certainly relate to. It's being highly praised as one of the best of the year... whereas I can see why that is, it failed to strike the sort of impact I was hoping for. Nonetheless, I still definitely recommend anyone to go out and see it.

A Fish Called Wanda (1988)

Another timeless classic featuring top performances from terrific actors. Hard to say which one of the main four I prefer... although, I do feel bit more inclined towards Kevin Kline.

Hustlers (2019)

Most likely not the film you would expect... Take that as you will. 

Jennifer Lopez - to my astonishment - delivers her best career role by a mile. 

A Herdade (2019)

As far as Portuguese movies go, this is up there with the best. A clear sign that our cinema is improving every year with talented people in front and behind the camera. To say it will be a potential Oscar contender, is a stretch. There's still a lot to be done to get a movie worthy of that accolade, but we are certainly on the right path. Tiago Guedes does an amazing job at the helm of the camera and Albano Jeronimo steals the show in a movie that contains a few other good performances.

Revisiting K's Choice

While going through Instagram stories, I came across a friend who had shared a video of a beach back home in Portugal with a song playing in the background. That song was 20,000 seconds by the Belgian band K's Choice.

Instantly I was transported to my teenage years where I would consume their music at a crazy pace. These guys were an absolute joy to listen to.

I remember - roughly - the first time I heard them. The single was Everything for Free and I heard it first in the same way that I would hear most of my music back in the day: Through MTV.

I was such an MTV fan that I would even record VHS tapes with music videos and would leave them playing in the background while I kept busy doing other stuff.

From K's Choice, to Radiohead, Foo Fighters... Lit, Pearl Jam, Offspring and Red Hot Chili Peppers... even Basement Jaxx, Blue Boy (Remember Me?) and OMC (How Bizarre)... these and many more would take over my bedroom, filling my hears with lyrics and melodies that - til this day - I still know by heart.

As K's Choice landed under my radar after god knows how many years, I decided to go on a trip of my own on Spotify and just dump track after track on my playlist.

Skimming through albums such as Paradise in Me, Always Happy and - my personal favorite - Cocoon Crash, I came across epic songs that have made some of my best years in high school.

Believe, Shadow Man, My Head and Not an Addict (likely to be their most popular song) are just a few of the tunes I had the pleasure of revisiting last night and the whole of today.

Each song almost prompted me into auto-pilot mode, delivering lyrics I didn't know I still knew and singing my heart-out just like I did when I was 16 or 17. In those moments, almost in a flash, I was then confronted with so many different stages of that particular time and how their music kept me company.

It was such an experience going through it all... but the best was yet to come.

I shared some of my thoughts on Instagram and even tagged a couple of friends that I remembered of being big fans back in the day. The reaction I got really appealed to a level of nostalgia that I wasn't expecting. I was overwhelmed with friends from different times and walks of life, who started interacting and evoking their own stories and memories, other sharing what the band means to them... while others would simply acknowledge the post, clearly alluding to some sort of significance in their lives.

And to think a simple post of a beach back in Portugal would kick-off such a turmoil...

 


 

Happy Batman Day: 80 Years of the Dark Knight

This year, we celebrate 80 Years of the Dark Knight... 

... and the big nerd in me couldn't resist posting this!

#LongLiveThe Bat

Scenes in London

21/09/19
(picture by Cristiana Moisescu)

**
 

**

My favorite Batman movie of all-time

Cool Hand Luke (1967)

"Sometimes, nothing can be a real cool hand"

Man, oh man... what a movie!

After engaging in an interesting cinema chat, my friend confessed his profound admiration for Paul Newman, having some of his iconic films in his Top Three of all-time.

Over a couple of beers, I made a promise that night to watch a few of them.

Cool Hand Luke was among that list... and I can tell you, it stands the test of time.

Released in 1967, this motion picture was a commercial and critical success lead by Paul Newman, who had already cemented himself as one of the top actors in Hollywood.

But despite Newman's Oscar nominee performance, it's George Kennedy (better known to me as the Captain in the Naked Gun spoof trilogy) that steals the show in an Oscar winning tour de force. The man is absolutely superb. To be honest, both are.

In fact, one of the many qualities of this film is its casting... even actors with no lines during the whole film carry the right amount of gravitas to make Cool Hand Luke a masterpiece.

Their performances however would be nothing without the power of a strong script, which is based on a novel by Donn Pearce. Pearce was invited to adapt his own work for the big screen with the help of Frank Pierson, a combination that proved to be a successful one.

It's interesting to see that looks as back in the 50s, 60s and 70s some movies felt unconventional and almost "anti-establishment" - just like Newman's Lucas Jackson. They catch you off-guard, leave you uncomfortable and won't promise you a happy-ending. In the process, they focus on delivering a strong script brought to life by great acting.

Definitely recommend it

HER: "How do you share your life with somebody?" (Behind-the-scenes montage)

In a time where everyone is talking about the first reactions to Joaquin Phoenix's portrayal of the Joker (2019), thought it was a good idea to share this clip with behind-the-scenes Broll of one of his most acclaimed movies: Her (2013), directed by Spike Jonze.

In this almost 4minute montage that I'm sharing with you, we hear Theodore (Phoenix) and Samantha (Scarlett Johansson) talk about their feelings and their place in a relationship. It's a taste of how wonderful the script is, beautifully crafted in order to deliver a poignant, heartfelt and relatable conversation that I guess most of us have had or thought about at some point in our lives.

And if these beautiful shots, the "backstage access" shots and the delivery by the actors wasn't enough... you still have Arcade Fire's Photograph setting the mood.

One of the soundtracks biggest gems, it is a track that reminisces of Yann Tiersen's work (think of Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain or Goodbye Lenin).

The instrumental carries with it the fantastic, the adventurous, the sheer wonder... just like Tiersen's work and it really blends in with the heart and soul of the movie, as well as this small insight into Jonze's masterpiece.

Best of 2018 - From my perspective

It seems like nowadays I only post on my blog my yearly review of my favorite movies, albums and tracks in the form of a top 10 list.

Yes, I still share a few things from time to time, but only on my Facebook page. I don't know why that is... a mix of being incredibly busy and equally lazy. Having said that, I still think its important to share our views on what impressed us over the year, which will hopefully provoke others to do the same, leading us to evolve on higher grounds.

The power of art, be it in any shape or form, can really strike powerful impact...

It has done so for me over the course of my life and it will - preferably with your help - continue to do so!

Now, before I share my list I will state something in the same lines as I've done in the past years.

There's a lot of great stuff which is coming out that I haven't seen... Eight Grade, The Hate U Give, Dogman, The Rider, If Beale Street Could Talk, Destroyer... are just some of the films I haven't had the chance to see... be it because they haven't been released in the UK or purely because I couldn't get the time to see it. Those are all films that I will hope to watch at some point early next year.

Meanwhile, there are other movies that I have seen this year, such as You Were Never Really Here or The Wife, that despite only being released in the wider markets in 2018, they had selected viewings at some festivals around the world in 2017, which draws the line for me in terms of not making eligible to make the list, despite the fact that it was only made available in 2018.

I know its unfair and it sucks... nonetheless, I hereby make a special mention to those two in particular, as they would make my list EASILY!

As with any list, it was difficult to leave some names out... Disobedience, Game Night, Mission: Impossible - Fallout are just some of the movies (tapping into genres, such as comedy or action, that often don't make these lists), while John Coltrane's Both Directions at Once
or Courtney Barnett's Tell Me How You Really Feel were top album contenders for this year's Top 10.
 
And now, with no further ado, here are my chosen ones for 2018:


MOVIES

Manbiki kazoku (Shoplifters)

First Reformed

Won't You Be My Neighbor

Zimna wojna (Cold War)

Roma

Leave No Trace

Hereditary

Upgrade

Sorry To Bother You

A Star is Born

BEST ALBUMS

J Cole - KOD

Drake - Scorpion*

Pusha T - Daytona

Blood Orange - Negro Swan

Snail Mall - Lush

The 1975 - A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships

Meek Mill - Championships
Black Panther OST 
A Star is Born OST
Parcels - Parcels

*Worth noting that Scorpion is a very long album with many tracks that are just not that good... the reason why I feel I need to include it on my list is because there are plenty of hits that could have made it into my top 10 tracks of the year. In essence, If I was to remove all the unnecessary tracks, i could still build an album with - at least - 12 amazing songs. People will have different views on this matter, but I opted to include it on my list.
 
 

SONGS

Meek Mill - Oodles and Noodles Babies

J Cole - ATM

Vince Staples - Tweakin'
Twin Shadow - Littlest Things

Pusha T - If You Know, You Know

Drake - Emotionless

Thom Yorke - Suspirium

Kendrick Lamar feat. Sza - All The Stars

Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper - Shallow

Rhye - Song For You

Call Me By Your Name (2017)

This doesn't mean I will go back to writting on the blog, but With still many people going to the cinema to watch "Call Me By Your Name" and as I remain in complete awe of this extraordinairy film, I really want to share what I wrote on my Facebook account over a month ago.


**

QUICK INTRO: Let me start off by saying this is hands-down the best movie I've seen in 2017... and along with last year's Oscar winner "Moonlight", one of the best things I've certainly come across in a very long time.

"Call Me By Your Name" (2017) is a film based on the novel with the same name written by André Aciman.

The movie is directed by Luca Guadagnino, known to audiences for "I am Love" (2009) and "A Bigger Splash" (2015), both of which are part of the “Desire trilogy” that comes full circle with his latest project.

Featuring a fantastic cast lead by Armie Hammer and Timothée Chalamet, the movie has been labelled by some as a gay love affair, but frankly that barely scratches the surface… More than that, it’s a film about “first love”, “self-discovery” and “heartache”... in essence, a coming-of-age drama that many of us can relate to, regardless of our sexual orientation and our views on the same.
I won't lie... for this movie, the expectations were high.

A 97% score on Rotten Tomatoes was a big part of it, but even before reviews started pouring in, I had placed all my faith in a trailer that resonated with me – even though I try not to rely on these, as they can often be highly disappointing.

As I sat in that theater room and the movie started, I knew I was in for a treat.

The opening titles are as indulgent as it gets.... Fantastic use of fonts layered on top of a sequence of images played to the sound of “Hallelujah Junction – 1st movement” by John Adams - a beautiful (and intense) piano instrumental. The whole thing makes an instant impact…

Soon after, we are given a time and place. 1983, somewhere in Northern Italy… a place close to the heart of the director who chose to film most his feature in Crema.

As each scene unfolds, we get to know of each of the characters, with focus on Elio Perlman (Chalamet) and his parents, Professor Lyle Perlman and Annella Perlman (played by Michael Stuhlbarg and Amira Casar).

The family – who every year spend their summer holidays in the Italian countryside – are hosting a very special guest: an American that goes by the name of Oliver (Armie Hammer).
Oliver is one of Professor Perlman students… very bright, confident, with a certain cool aura around him…

Oliver quickly settles in and becomes increasingly popular among his new crowd… except with Elio, who at first seems to be put-off by his personality – claiming Oliver to be arrogant.
Obviously, as the characters get to spend time together, the relationship evolves – their shared Jewish heritage, their interest in music... all of which come to fruition under some of the most stunning Italian backdrops.

If everything about what I wrote and what you’ve seen says this is quite a straight forward narrative, well let me tell you right now: it isn’t.
It’s complex and messy… so many layers that make us reevaluate who we are, who we once were and what we aim to be.

I certainly traveled back and forward in time, thinking about how I dealt with my own emotions when in the face of what I thought was my first love, what it actually was like in the face of true love and how I did my best to cope with all the emotions that went through my mind and body at the time. It has also given me another source of inspiration to what I would hope to one day be when - and if - I have kids of my own. The father figure played by Shuhlbarg is a parent that we should all strive to one day be. Open minded, caring, cultured and with a tremendous heart. As a review said - "the most forward thinking father in movie history".

But I’m getting ahead of myself and with most things I write when it comes to cinema, I try not to give much away about the plot, the trades that make the people on-screen special and so on…
It’s a tricky one though… I’m feeling such eagerness – almost a dyslexic one – to write and talk about anything and everything in this film…

I can honestly say I haven’t been as excited about a movie since last year’s "Moonlight"… and if you remember talking to me around the time it came out, you know how much it meant to me…
Both share a lot of similarities and I’m not even talking about the sexuality theme… there’s a set of different things that each bring to the table.

When it comes to “Call Me By Your Name”, I found it easier to relate to… aesthetically its gorgeous… every shot there for a reason, the use of colors, the framing, the setting… every scene full of meaning… the use of music always on point… the direction and acting just bringing all these elements (and more) together, absolutely justifying the over two hours in length of this “likely to be an award winning motion picture”.

And by the way, on the music front… It’s one of the best soundtracks I’ve listen this year (the last one I thought to myself was up there with this one was “Nocturnal Animals”).

I’ve mentioned the track that kick-starts the film… but what about the array of 80s American and European dance flavours? The epic scene where Armie’s character is getting lose on the dance floor to the sound of “Love My Way” by The Psychedelic Furs… and more importantly the tunes which Sufjan Stevens wrote specifically for the film, at the request of Guadignani himself.

Both “Mystery of Love” and “Visions of Gideon” should be top contenders for the “Best Original Song” category… but even with the bar set high with those two, his other song “Futile Devices”, which has been released as a remix, is also to die for. All three are sure to break your heart.

As great as the soundtrack is, I urge you not to listen to it before seeing the movie. Each of the chosen tracks blend in perfectly with pictures and being able to see that for the first time has huge impact, stirs different set of emotions at a different pace and time.

In conclusion, all I can wish is that you enjoy it as much as I did.

Best of 2017 - From my perspective

It's been literally one year since I last posted on my blog... and while I'm not making any plans to get this up and running again, I'm still committed to share my top 10 movies, albums and tracks of the year...

In 2017, I had a hard time putting the list down to 10 tunes, but every other category felt like there wasn't much competition... 

Granted there's loads more for me to see and hear, but nonetheless, given the time invested in getting new content on my hands, I hope it would be more difficult to make these decisions. 

MOVIES:

Call Me By Your Name
Get Out

Logan

John Wick 2

IT

Dunkirk
Disaster Artist
The Big Sick

Florida Project

Thor: Ragnarok

ALBUMS:

Kendrick Lamar - DAMN

The War on Drugs - A Deeper Understanding

LCD Soundsystem - American Dream

Sampha - Process

The National - Sleep Well Beast

The XX - I See You 

Kamasi Washington - Harmony of Difference

Sufjan Stevens, Nico Muhly, James McAlister, Bryce Dessner - Planetarium

Drake - More Life

TRACKS:

James McAlister, Sufjan Stevens, Bryce Dessner - Mercury

Frank Ocean feat. Jay-Z & Tyler The Creator - Biking

Sufjan Stevens - Visions of Gideon

Sufjan Stevens  - Love Memory

Alt J - Adeline
Kendrick Lamar - Humble
Drake - Passion fruit
LCD Soundsystem - Oh Baby
21 Savage - Bank Account
Kamasi Washington - Truth

Best of 2016 - From my perspective

I know I haven't spent much time on this blog but if there's one post I find mandatory is the "End of year best of" where I select the best films and albums of the passing year.

Mind you that like every year, I haven't seen loads of films that are likely to get in this list. (Moonlight, Manchester by the sea to name a few...)

Plus, I've added Born To Be Blue - released in 2015 in the US, but only this year in the UK... so will factor that one in for this list.

So, without further ado, here they are:

MOVIES
Deadpool
Hunt For The Wilderpeople

Born To Be Blue
Hell Or High Water
Captain Fantastic
Captain America: Civil War
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Don't Breathe
Green Room
Blood Father

ALBUMS

Frank Ocean - Blonde
Radiohead - Moon Shaped Pool
Kanye West - The Life of Pablo
Drake - Views
Chance The Rapper - Coloring Book
Os Velhos - Os Velhos
Kings of Leon - Walls
Wilco - Schmilco
A Tribe Called Quest - We Got It From Here... Thank You 4 Your Service
Glass Animals – How To Be A Human Being

And... surprise surprise! Here's also my top10 tunes of 2016

TRACKS

Radiohead - Daydreaming
Radiohead - Burn The Witch
Kanye West - Waves
Frank Ocean - Nikes
Frank Ocean - Ferrari
Frank Ocean - Pink + White
Os Velhos - Aberta Nova
Bruno Mars - Versace On The Floor
James Blake feat. Bon Iver - I Need A Forest Fire
Maggie Roggers - Alaska
Sunflower Sean - Easier Said Than Done

Fences (trailer)

Directed by Denzel Washington.

Can't wait to see this!

Jazz on the big screen

Two of the most iconic jazz trumpeters are hitting the big screen.

Don Cheadle plays Miles Davis in Miles Ahead 

&

 Ethan Hawke playing Chet Baker in Born To Be Blue

David Bowie 1947 - 2016

Plenty of his own songs and collaborations have left their mark, but none quite like these two...

 

Best of 2015 - From my perspective

                        

This year I've been very sloppy with my blog. Between work and social life it's difficult to find time... But I will admit I could have done a bit more effort.

In any case, I still watched movies... A lot of them! 

2015 brought us a lot of quality and variety. It was very easy for me to make this list, even without watching many likely candidates like Carol, The Room, The Revenant and Creed just to name a few.

So without further a do, here's my top 10 movies of 2015:

Mad Max

Youth

The Gift

The Lobster

Ex Machina

Straight Outta Compton

The Martian

Me, Earl and The Dying Girl 

Amy (documentary)

Dope

Special mentions to the wonderful surprise that was Danny Collins, plus the triumphant return of Star Wars.

Here's to another great year ahead of us... Not only with great films but everything culture wise.

James Vincent McMorrow - Cavalier

A friend of mine said James Vincent McMorrow has the voice of an angel.

Couldn't agree more.

Dope (2015)

My latest streak of film viewing has made me come back to write for the blog. I don't promise to be consistent, but to at least drop a few suggestions here and there.

I start with the following:

DOPE​.

Directed and written by Rick Famuyiwa, produced by Pharrell Williams, Sean 'Diddy' Combs & Forest Whitaker and starring wonderful young ensemble featuring  Shameik Moore (!!!), Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons, Zoe Kravitz, A$AP Rocky, among many others.

And don't get me started on the soundtrack... Kicks off with Naughty by Nature... is heavy on A Tribe Called Quest...  and gets it going with Public Enemy, NAS and Gil Scott-Heron.

Definitely going into my Top10 of 2015.

Trailers that have impressed

Samba

 Creed

 

Ten Thousand Saints

Farewell David Letterman

Some time ago, I posted about the role that The O.C.​ played on the expansion of indie music for the masses. Most of us never heard about Death Cab for Cutie​, Modest Mouse​, The Shins​ and Bright Eyes​… Bloc Party​ and The Killers​ were gaining traction and even some of the cult classics like Sex Pistols​ and The Ramones​ got their place on the show’s spotlight.

Despite having a sense of gratitude towards the Californian soap opera, I am now “morning” the end of show - maybe more musically relevant to generations before “The O.C”: David Letterman’s.

For the few of you who don’t know who Dave Letterman is, my advice is for you to look him up on YouTube and get acquainted with his magnificent work.

Talented writer, great communicator and incredible comedic skills have made Mr. Letterman one of the most prominent forces in the history of TV.

So why am I putting “The O.C” and David Letterman in the same post?

Because way before Seth Cohen and Marissa Cooper were engaging in their musical taste, Letterman was already getting on his stage a mix of artists that went from some of the most popular names at the time, to the unknown bands who would end up achieving greatness.

From R.E.M.​’s first television act on his show, to Arcade Fire​ break out followed by the likes of The Strokes​ and Letterman’s favorite band Foo Fighters​, we have seen an outrageously good list of musical artists… most of which we can thank him for introducing to the general public and therefore making it possible for a lot of bands being in our iPods.

So, as a way of paying homage to the legendary TV host and his colossal influence on music, I am leaving you this small article written by The Independent​, which contains their selection of the Top 18 musical performances ever to grace us on David Letterman's show!

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/the-best-late-show-with-david-letterman-musical-performances-10263503.html

Films seen in the last week

Relatos Salvajes

This Oscar nominated Argentinean film is one of the best funny things I've seen in recent times. I had no idea whatsoever of what to expect and maybe that's for the best... so I will avoid any sort of details. I will say however that, rather than being your typical movie, this is actually a mix of short movies with a couple of themes in common, all of which told with a very (very!) dark humor. 

Maybe it's not your kind of thing, but I had a blast.
 

Magic In The Moonlight

Woody Allen's latest feature presents itself with a good cast and although it does provide good moments, it is far from being among his best work.  By all means watch it, but I honestly don't think it will make worth your time.
 

Whiplash

Seen it before, but with my Mom in town, just had to see it again. One of the best movies I've ever seen. Incredibly well directed, great acting and amazing soundtrack. Should be on everyone's "To see" list.

Check out my previous post on the film.

 Bad Words

This is Jason Bateman's directorial debut... and it's a great one. Sharp on the tongue, beautifully shot and with various moments that will make you chuckle, this is a great unexpected surprise as I had no idea of what was coming.

While We're Young

Noah Baumbach is back with another of his indie movies that a lot of people out there are bound to relate with. He's reunited with Ben Stiller after their previous collaboration in Greenberg, while also adding the talent of the incredible Naomi Watts, followed by Adam Driver and Amanda Seyfried. 

Not entirely sure how this movie will go down in comparison with Baumbach's previous film Frances Ha (2012), but i can tell you right now that this an OK movie with good moments... but felt like it was never great. Maybe my expectations were too high... I remember seeing the trailer and thinking to myself that this would be incredible! 
Having said that, you wouldn't certainly waste your time if you were to see this though...

Gattaca (1997)

Saw Gattaca (1997) for the first time. What an incredible movie! Smart and profound... capable of making a big testament to the core of the human spirit and soul. Nothing is impossible!

Best of 2014 - From my perspective

As per usual, here's my "Best of" the year that has passed... 

Unfortunately I won't compile a list of "Best albums" since I wasn't able to listen to that many throughout 2014. Can't really justify why... I guess I ended up getting my hands on older albums - which obviously wouldn't serve the purpose of this list.

In regards to the film list, there are going to be a lot of great absences, some of which I haven't seen yet (Birdman, St. Vincent, Selma, Still Alice...). Nonetheless, I can honestly say that this year has been really strong. 

With that said, here's my "Top 10 films" of 2014:

Whiplash

Gone Girl

Boyhood

The Grand Budapest Hotel

X-Men: Days of Past Future

The Raid 2

Skeleton Twins

Foxcatcher

Dawn of The Planet of The Apes

The Imitation Game

Some good movies that didn't make the cut this year include Cold July, Chef, Edge of Tomorrow, 22 Jump Street (my guilty pleasure) and Interstellar. 

The latter needs a second watching. I found it tremendously overcomplicated and very silly at times, but there is a lot in it that can (and should) make this film a classic. Maybe I'll change my mind about it...

There you have it. As I said, 2014 was really strong when it comes to movies...and there's plenty more that need to be watched. Feel free to comment on these picks and share your own. 

Have a wonderful 2015!

Dadiva (Curta-metragem)

Façam o favor de dar feedback. O meu amigo Vasco "Jim" Saraiva agradece...

Skeleton Twins (2014)

Wonderful, beautiful surprise...

Don't finish the year without watching this excellent movie. 

Whiplash (2014)

 

I was fortunate enough to see a pre-screening for the movie Whiplash (2014) last night and I have to say:  I loved it! Absolutely loved it! I mean, what a ride!

As I anxiously tapped my hands in my legs and knees, trying to emulate some jazz percussion that was still lingering in my head, I became more and more desperate to get home so I could write about the film. But the thing is… I wanted to write more than just saying how good it was. I wanted to write about all the feelings that had stirred up in my mind and in my heart during and after the screening.

First and foremost, I must warn you. I’m a massive Jazz lover! I was raised in a Jazz family and therefore, I can easily be considered bias. That said, I sort of feel like I’m able to have a bigger appreciation for what this movie is all about. And make no mistake… by saying this, I’m not giving my take on how this movie depicts the jazz industry (in this case education system). No. Far from it! In between various things I want to say how I loved everything from a cinematic point of view, but also having in mind the brilliant soundtrack made of great classical standards such as Duke Ellington’s Caravan that just filled my heart and made me think: "I am really grateful for having two parents who raised me under the best musical genre of all time". There is nothing that can ever reach the level of quality, creativity and wild genius which jazz possesses. And hey, I’m not a fanatic! Honest! I consider myself quite the eclectic guy. In fact, I listen to other musical genres, some of which probably even more than jazz… but that doesn’t take it away from how much I appreciate each note written in a Jazz music sheet.

So, let us begin…

(... and five, six, seven, eight)

The name of this movie, Whiplash – taken from a tune written by Hank Levy – can also be a reference to how Terence Fletcher (played by J.K Simmons) scars his students. His methods are far too brutal, bringing up to mind how Gunnery Sergeant Hartman undermined his troops in Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket (1987). Fletcher, the intimidating maestro, believes that in order to achieve greatness, people need to be pushed beyond their limits, doing whatever it takes to get his pupils to that an elite level. If you break on his watch, even if just for a moment, he will show no patience, no love, no mercy.

 

We discover this by following Andrew Neiman, a 19-year-old drummer who seeks to be the next “Charlie Parker”, or in his case, the new Buddy Rich. During the 106 minutes in which the story unfolds, we witness a real endurance test being applied to the young boy, hoping that he does not fall into despair and that he can overcome the tyranny of his orchestra leader. 

It is just brilliant to see the level in which their relationship develop and massive praise must be given to the young and talented Miles Teller - who I’ve became a fan since watching the indie-production The Spectacular Now (2013) – and to J.K Simmons, who will undoubtedly be up for an Oscar nomination, that can very well translate into a win. The veteran actor is just superb.

Congratulatios are also in order to Damien Chazelle (a jazz aficionado), the man behind the script and direction of this wonderful motion picture.

Chazelle wrote an 85-page script, but then adapted it to 15 pages in order to make Whiplash a short movie, so that he could attract someone to invest. After debuting at the Sundance festival, he was approached right away by several investors who financed the long version. Among those same investors is Jason Reitman, the director behind movies such as Thank You For Smoking (2005), Juno (2007), Up In The Air (2009) and most recently Men, Women & Children (2014).

The young Damien got going, working with some of the crew involved in the original showpiece, including Mr. Simmons. The 59-year-old veteran, who at the moment I’m watching on a weekly basis with his terrific performance as Vernon Schillinger in the HBO cult classic series Oz (1997 - 2003), was a smart decision that obviously paid off, as he is probably the best thing out of the Jazz themed film. But rest assured, there is plenty more in Whiplash to make it worthy of various accolades, even if it wasn’t nominated for a Golden Globe.

That could almost be a standalone post, but I'm learning with time that such discussion is almost not worth it. I believe people’s perception about the Globes and the Oscars has been changing quite a lot through the years. They’ve lost all sense of credibility and therefore, is not shock to see terrific movies such as Whiplash being left out of nominations. Thankfully, word of mouth (especially nowadays with social media) is enough to get these names across the world and attract people to the movie theaters.

Anyway… back to the film!

Chazelle is also a maestro on his own… showing promising leadership “on stage”. His new masterpiece is beautifully shot and it reveals great taste in various sequences / scenes that kept the rhythm fluid.

Through Fletcher, our emotions as a viewer are constantly manipulated, like Andrew’s… 
It is by giving yourself to its narrative and characters that you feel the moments of joy and pain, almost like you are part of the story. I think the director accomplished that by leaving the audience engaged with every single action.

Another great element here, which I have briefly mentioned - is the soundtrack. It’s just the icing on the cake. I mean, what would you expect? When you get to hear some of the greatest musicians, either play in the background or set the stage for a prominent scene, you know what the results are going to be. 

 

I really do hope that the music leaves a mark on people, bringing them closer to Jazz. That each viewer gets home and learns about Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Bill Evans and John Coltrane. Or listen to more contemporary (but faithful to its principal) takes.  

People often say: “Jazz is dying”. I do see why people would say that… but I don’t really agree with Fletcher’s view on it. He believes the art form is vanishing because of musicians who don’t push themselves enough… thus not creating new “legends” that can continue carrying the legacy set by some of the greats.

It is my opinion that more and more people don’t really get to hear the music that often. For one, it needs to be something that you are brought into, as it can be hard for some to grasp. On the other hand, and completely contradicting myself, it is also the music of the people, accessible for all depending on how free your spirit is. The other issue with the decaying genre is how society has developed with its musical taste and demands. Everything now needs to be pop influenced. A lot of musicians claim to be jazz players, but in reality they are a shallow, soulless product that used the great history and intellect behind “JAZZ” to sell their work to a wider audience. Michael Buble and Jamie Cullum, of whom I’m a fan of, can be seen as part of their group of people

But let me set you a better example in which I will make clear reference to two festivals in Portugal: “Cool Jazz Fest” and “Estoril Jazz”.

Estoril Jazz is the longest running jazz festival in the country. It has attracted larges audiences to watch great musicians such as Miles Davis, Keith Jarret, Art Blakey, Dizzy Gillespie, Chet Baker and so on… That same festival which was very popular during the 80’s and 90’s is now struggling. Why you ask? Because they are no longer providing the sort of music that people demand. Because people are not interested in the old school, vanguard Jazz. They want catchy tunes, stage dancers, cool videos… the kind of thing that big pop names deliver.

Then you have "Cool Jazz Fest". I don't get why the fest is called like that. It just feels awkward and silly when you call yourself a jazz festival, but have no jazz names featured in your lineup and instead present Sting and Seal… fantastic artists, but again, not jazz related. People don’t care though… They will easy pay 50 euros to attend that gig, but not spend 20 to watch a lesser known musician at the "Estoril Jazz" festival or in Guimarães. They won’t even do a quick (and cheap) trip to some of our finest Jazz clubs like Hot Club in Lisbon or Cascais Jazz Club. 

Because they are not simply into Jazz, despite their claims of going to a Jazz concert. 

(Calming down) 

Apologies for the rant.

All and all, Whiplash is the sort of movie that I would gladly watch it again in the near future. Not only because it’s that good, but also because it would provide me with an excellent opportunity to make sure others would watch it and get to know the art behind the cinema experience and the music. It is a masterpiece that is neither rushing nor dragging. 

 Its tempo is just impeccable.