A Film Unfinished

I wont lie, this film is a difficult watch. But you really need to watch it.

A superbly well crafted documentary on a fascinating topic – The German propaganda machine and in particular it’s unfinished 1942  film about the Warsaw ghetto.

The original footage manages to show us something  of the Nazi’s callousness that we haven’t seen before, no small feat.  In addition the use of survivors of the Warsaw ghetto to comment on the footage never feels exploitative and gives an amazing insight into the one question this film will provoke in all who watch it : how does one find the strength to live through such horror?

What a Rush

Yeah yeah. But I do so love Geoffrey Rush. And inspirational true stories so…



All I Want From Life

…can be summed up by this one image from Levis current ad campaign.

Trailer Time

The beginning of this trailer is a really new approach that really grabbed me. It’s really reminiscent  of advertising and I like that. 

I kinda hate the second half but there ya go. 50% better than most trailers I’ve seen.

Photos

Some shots from Canada

Panda Cheese

So this is funny…

I found this via a great blog

Becoming A Mazing

Conor O Brien, formerly of The Immediate, has produced a singularly amazing album as Villagers. His voice is remarkable and his song writing is very exciting. He uses a simple melody and then takes it somewhere unexpected and beautiful which lifts it far above the whingy, soporific quality of  some other singer/songwriter efforts.

I find the sound reminiscent of Paul Simon’s solo work, which is surely as high a compliment as can be paid to a songwriter. The most obvious example of that is in the title track, Becoming a Jackal.

It’s a long time since a new Irish artist has made such an impression on me. Becoming a Jackal is my new favourite album.

Megafauning

These guys were amazing as Deer Tick’s support act in Whelans last December. This August they’re playing in Crawdaddy. Now I’ll be on the other side of the world but I must encourage ya’ll to go along. They are an excellent live band.

Sam Rocks…Well!

If you haven’t already seen this then where have you been?

Screen test for Confessions of a Dangerous Mind wherein Sam Rockwell is basically so dashing and charismatic it hurts.

My Lovely Neil

Ok so maybe I need a separate blog just for all the Neil Hannon love that’s been flying around but as the man himself assured me you ‘can never be too sycophantic’. I attended an instore event at the tiny Road Records store in Dublin just yesterday and in honour of the Eurovision Neil sang this…

and to launch the album (a gorgeous vinyl copy of which he so graciously and charmingly signed for me-you can see that below) he favoured us with the title track.

Having finally met the man I can safely say he is as lovely as the titular horse.