nessymon.com

Category: Film Review

  • George Michael Live in London DVD Review

    Live in London DVD cover

    First off I have to say I’m a huge George Michael Fan so there is no way this is going to be an impartial review.

    Live in London went on sale here in Ireland on Friday December 4th. I popped into the nearest HMV store to find Live in London had a prominent display point and it was €14.99 – great value I was expecting it to be more.
    It’s a two disc set with disc one featuring the live shows filmed in Auguest 08 in Earl’s Court. Disc two features a behind the scenes documentary ‘I’d Know Him A mile Off’ filmed by long time friend and collabrator David Austin and three bonus tracks.

    Having seen God, sorry George six times on his last tour I was hoping that the DVD wouldn’t disappoint. I can still feel the bass of Flawless kick in the first time I heard it live.. no feeling like it in the world as the bass grabs you inside and out.

    Disc One goes through 23 live tracks, starting with the song Waiting (Reprise) sung from behind the stage. George then kicks into Fastlove and I got a kick when he then proceeds to do the Lisa Moorish version of  I’m Your Man which appeared on the Fastlove single. Not to pee off fans, the band then launch into the Wham! version.

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  • Me and Orson Welles Review

    Me and Orson Welles Poster

    I’d better write this up.. I dropped in to the lunchtime Openline show on DCUFM to do a review of this yesterday.

    The IFI in Dublin was the venue for a preview and Q&A session with Christian McKay, star of Me and Orson Welles.

    Based on the book by Ropert Kaplow, the story takes place in 1937 in the week leading to the legendary opening of Julius Caesar in the Mercury Theatre off Broadway.  Newcomer McKay, plays the role of Welles,  while High School Musical hero, Zac Efron plays Richard Samuels, a youngster in search of a big break.

    McKay is a wonder as the colourful Welles and the resemblence is uncanny. He brings Welles’ mood swings and gigantic personality to life.  Efron, who is a surprising good actor, still gets his chance to sing a little with a little ukulele number.

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  • This Is it – Movie Review

    michael-jackson-this-is-it-movie-poster

    This was what fans had longed to see. Unfortunately it took his death to show the world what Michael Jackson was really like.

    Directed by Kenny Ortega, ‘This Is It’, goes behind the scenes at MJ’s rehearsals for the never to be 50 concerts in the O2 in London.

    From the outset we see Michael, the performer, the perfectionist and sometimes the teenage-like Michael. The editing in the movie is superb, noticeably so in ‘Wanna be Starting Something’.

    Jackson’s love for his music and his knowledge of music is clearly seen. His perfectionist views on his own music, it’s obvious which of his songs he prefers performing which in an almost childlike fake cough way, when during a Jackson 5 song, he is told that they (show director) cant hear his voice he insists that he must ‘save his voice’.

    The admiration his dancers and musicians had for him can be clearly seen, the dance moves and newly filmed video segments (Thriller looks amazing – I would love to see the 3D version) only give us a glimpse of what could have been.

    For all the Godlike comments that MJ has been given, the one thing that struck me throughout this film was his fraility. His slight build and almost insular movements show that away from the big press conference announcing the 50 concerts, here was a man so fragile.

    The soundtrack only serves to remind us of what a talent he was.

    Michael Jackson – King of Pop.

    Michael Poster from here

    http://www.thisisit-movie.com/

  • Duncan Jones’ Moon

    Moon Film Poster
    Moon Film Poster

    Afternoon pop pickers! On the way to Marley Park to Fatboy Slim & Co. In the meanwhile thought I’d let you know about Duncan Jones’ new movie ‘Moon’ which I went to see last night in the IFI in Dublin.

    Duncan introduced the movie and stuck around for a Question and Answer session after the screening.

    Moon tells the story of Sam Bell, remarkably played by Sam Rockwell, a worker on a three year solo contract on the Sarang facility on the moon for Lunar Industries.

    Made on a budget of a measly five million dollars, Moon tips its hat at some classic sci fi movies such as 2001 and even Alien and it also reminded this viewer of childhood tv memories of Space 1999.

    Moon deals with themes of isolation, loneliness, long distance relationships and the age old question of if we were put in the situation would we actually like or even get on with ourselves.

    During the Question and Answer session Duncan explained that as a first time director, learning to prioritize became one of the major issues he had to learn about.

    I found it quite amusing, as questions were being asked, that some viewers were trying to take more from the movie than was neccessary. One audience member questioned what had happened Sam, the answer to the question is it really doesn’t matter what happened, we must look at the information we were given on screen. As Duncan said ‘I know what happened Sam, that’s all that matters’.

    I enjoyed the movie but felt as we were leaving that a number of people went without looking at what genre of movie it was and only attended because of who Duncan’s Dad is.

    If I had to ask a question yesterday I think it would have been about his Dad’s part in ‘The man who fell to Earth’ The 1976 (I think) film starred Duncan’s dad, David Bowie. The title song was given a second life by Nirvana in the nineties.

    While Bowie’s Space Oddity paid homage to the original Moon landings and space voyages, its good timing that the Duncan Jones film gets its UK and Ireland release around the 40th anniversary on the Neil Armstrong Moon landing and as the Space Ship Endeavour returns to Earth following its stay at the International Space Station.

    Go see Moon, independent film at its best!