Anybody see this absolutely wonderful movie? Best I've seen this year. Just bought the soundtrack.
Posted by Dragon (Member # 3670) on :
Ohmigoodness, I totally just heard of it today, and when I asked my roommate to go see it with me she said she'd seen it and it was fantastic. Where have I been?
Posted by Lisa (Member # 8384) on :
This? Is it good?
Posted by GForce (Member # 9584) on :
Yep, that's it. It's amazing. Very simple, very indie, but extremely good.
Posted by The White Whale (Member # 6594) on :
quote: It's amazing. Very simple, very indie, but extremely good.
Agreed.
The music was fantastic. Fantastic.
quote: Just bought the soundtrack.
Me too.
If you have a chance to see this, don't miss it. It was only shown here in my little Northern NY college town once, through a group that picks a few good movies and shows them every Wednesday. I am heartbroken that I can't tell anyone (in my physical vicinity) that they should go watch this movie because it is no longer being played. So instead I'm telling you. Go see it.
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
To resurrect this thread a bit, I just watched this and I loved it.
My brother said it was like a music video, only for the entire cd, which I thought was funny, but hey, if they wanted to do a video like that for every great album out there, I'd still go see it. I love the story behind the movie too.
Despite the big age difference, the two of them make an adorable couple, and that's not a word I use very often! But overall, the music is just gret. I don't think it's especially stellar or especially unique. It's hard to give it a description like that. I think it IS honest, genuine, and fresh though, and those too are words I don't usually use to describe music.
It's good stuff. Fantastic quality for the materials they had to work with. Cillian Murphy was originally slated to play the lead actor, but he pulled out becuase he didn't want to work with the lead actress, because she was new. So he left, took his monied producers with him, and the director figured instead of finding an actor who was half musician, he'd find a musician who was half actor, and talked Glen Hansard into also acting, since he was already signed on to write the music.
It's hard not to like this movie.
Posted by Launchywiggin (Member # 9116) on :
Agreed with everything Lyrhawn said. I saw it last week and liked it. Also have the soundtrack. Simple music, great voices, and definitely sincere--which is hard to do.
The scene in the music shop was cute--even if their first-time performance was just a little TOO good. I guess that's how you win oscars.
Posted by Luv2ReadProductions (Member # 11502) on :
I agree. I thought it was fantastic.
I've been hearing some interesting anecdotes about the effect of this movie as well. Since the film chronicles the pair's process of putting together a production-quality CD (from the rough demo, to the bank loan, to the rented studio), and in such a poetic way, it's inspired others to actually begin taking their dreams seriously and follow the practical steps to turn them into reality.
I like it when films do even more than entertain.
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
Launchy -
I thought that too, until I saw that she was reading off the sheet music on the piano, which made it a lot more believable. I was like "how the hell does she know the lyrics?" But I loved that scene, and I love that song. "Falling Slowly" and "If You Want Me" I think are my favorites. The second of those two is just haunting. Marketa has a great voice that's just a touch different than what I'm used to hearing.
Posted by The White Whale (Member # 6594) on :
I have two friends who are music majors and they were telling me that they would have to be session musicians to be able to play that much new music together in such a short amount of time, especially with that rag-tag street band.
And I can understand that.
But for me, the story was the thinnest part of the movie. If the songs weren't so phenomenal, I don't know if I'd like the movie as much as I do. I saw the movie without having any prior knowledge, I just heard it was an "Irish Musical, that wasn't lame."
Every song blew me away. Every time I thought that the story was getting thin, they threw an amazing song in there that got me exited about the next one. I just can't imagine that movie without those quality songs. I don't know if I'd want to watch it.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
I loved the song that won the Oscar, and my wife and I want to see the movie. It looks good, but the music seems great, and we are both musicians, so I am sure we will like it.
At least the guy can buy another guitar now.....
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
"But for me, the story was the thinnest part of the movie."
I agree, but I also say, "Eh, so what?" It was a fun, sweet movie with lovely songs. I agree that it was like an extended music video.
I loved it.
Posted by sylvrdragon (Member # 3332) on :
This movie really surprised me. I generally like two kinds of movies: Deep intellectual movies that most find hard to follow, and mindless violence that I don't have to think at ALL to enjoy. I would have to say that this is the most chick-flickish movie that I've ever liked - and liked a lot. The music in the movie isn't even of any genre that I normally listen to. It's nothing that I would have ever gone out and looked for, and yet, I loved it.
My favorite scene is probably when she's walking back from the convenient store after buying batteries. That song was just fantastic. Also, during the piano store scene, that song gave me that tingly feeling at the back of my neck. It was just... GOOD.
Posted by The White Whale (Member # 6594) on :
Roger Ebert's Review of Once nailed it head on. I felt exactly what he describes during the movie. This man knows movies.
Posted by sylvrdragon (Member # 3332) on :
quote:Originally posted by The White Whale: Roger Ebert's Review of Once nailed it head on. I felt exactly what he describes during the movie. This man knows movies.
He got a few details of the movie wrong, but you can't very well argue against someone you agree with!
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Yes, it is she who takes HIM to the piano store, right?
Posted by sylvrdragon (Member # 3332) on :
Yeah. Also, it says At one point "he asks if she loves him, and she answers in Czech". He's asking if she loves her HUSBAND, but this seems to imply that he's asking about himself.
Posted by Strider (Member # 1807) on :
Just saw this film. It was absolutely amazing.
Sad though.
I went and looked up what she answers back to him after he asks "do you love him" and it made me want to cry.
I like Cillian Murphy, but I'm glad he dropped out. Hansard was wonderful, and the chemistry between the two leads was powerful. And I think the lower budget actually enhanced the overall feel of the movie. It felt more authentic to what the characters were going through.
I also thought that it was incredibly classy and cool when Jon Stewart asked Marketa back onstage after she was cut off at the Oscars.
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
quote:I went and looked up what she answers back to him after he asks "do you love him" and it made me want to cry.
It was an unscripted moment too, so any confusion you see on Hansard's face is completely genuine. I think it's a tiny window perhaps into the love that was forming behind the scenes via the love that was forming during the scenes.
Posted by Strider (Member # 1807) on :
very cool. i wasted a bunch of time watching the two of them perform live at various venues. well worth the the lack of sleep i got last night.
Posted by The White Whale (Member # 6594) on :
Wow, Lyrhawn. I didn't know that that moment was unscripted. That's awesome.
Posted by Strider (Member # 1807) on :
some questions.
Where did he get the money to buy the piano?
And does getting a bank loan as a musician really involve bringing a tape of your music and playing it for the loan officer?
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
He got the money for the piano, at least in part, from the money his father gave him after he played his music for his father and his father first really appreciated him as an artist.
I don't know how it works everywhere, but, I think showing and demonstrating what you're getting the loan for, and making it sound more like an investment than a gamble could possibly increase the chances of actually getting the loan.
Besides, it worked didn't it? Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
Yes it did. I finally saw it, and I loved it.
Posted by AvidReader (Member # 6007) on :
The loan officer pulling out his guitar and playing for them was probably my favorite part of the movie.
I don't think it's the kind of movie I'd want to watch repeatedly, but I'm glad I saw it.
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