287 of 1001 Movies: Once (2006)

This is my second full viewing of once, and I love it as much as the first time I viewed it. It's a movie I enjoyed so much  want to see the musical show, which I've heard good things about as well. I also recently watched, Begin Again, so this stirred my curiosity to rewatch Once with my husband since he hadn't seen it. I did enjoy Begin Again, but after watching Once, I couldn't help that they both seemed to focus on the same type of story. Not in a bad way, but you would have to not be overly critical of that to enjoy.

Summary: A guy and girl, whose names remain unknown, have a chance meeting on a street, after the girl stops to admire his street performance. From there they form a friendship that is tied together by their interest in music. Together they begin collaborating on music and seeking to make him a demo record he can showcase. The week in Dublin, tells their love stores inadvertently through the songs they write and perform. Their complicated pasts must be dealt with first. In the end it will have to be decided their meeting will lead to a once in a lifetime type of romance, or a once upon a time week.

The movie was shot on a low budget, but the passion that John Carney puts into his movie by far makes up for the budget. They use their money wisely on highlighting the best parts of the movie, like the emotions from the music and hiring talented performers to perform them. You don't need to try to over do glossing the music, if you have performers who can achieve much of what needs to be done without help.

The set is also a beautiful location for the movie. The clouds and Dublin setting suit much of the vibe you have from the characters throughout as they deal with difficult decisions they have to make. While romantic, this casts the feeling they have over their budding romance.

Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova also have enough chemistry to fill a room. I rarely see this much authentic chemistry between two on screen leads. Hansard is pouring his heart out through the music, and Irglova is patiently voicing her concerns. The balance winds up with a real on going love story. You can't help but what may happen for these two as the story doesn't feel over even when it ends.

The music is what gave the movie all the notice and rightfully so. They would receive an Oscar win. I find the music to be so good, it ranks as one of my top favorite albums. It's never grown old.

If you're looking for an independent movie to check out, I highly recommend this one. The R rating is the only oddity that stood out misplaced for this movie. It has no violence nor even sexuality in it, yet it garners a worst rating than much more disturbing images I've seen. While you're at it go ahead and check out Carney's other one as well, Begin Again.

Bookshelf: Matthew Paul Turner's What You Didn't Learn From Your Parents About Sex

Let's be frank. Reading about sex can be fun! Especially if you're from a faith that rarely puts out books such as this one. Anyways, most people have questions about sex, and this book does a good job of tying back in faith and what the Bible says on the topic as well. It's got a lot of interesting information. If you're waiting for marriage the book also has a whole chapter at the end with information, tips, and things to expect from the exciting to the embarrassing.

Summary: If you're like most the sex talk that you had from your parents probably included just the basics or you were given reading material. No one told you what oral sex was, how far was too far, or what the word masturbation meant. Actually, I can guarantee that maybe 1% of parents discuss even the meaning of masturbation. Matthew Paul Turner is here to clarify though. He answers questions presented from young adults, shares a bit of his own struggles and experiences regarding sexual activity, and gives insight on the many Biblical verses regarding sex, whether normal or strange.

410 of 1001 Albums: Amy Winehouse's Back to Black

I'm pretty sure I could feel this whole post with my love for the song "Back to Black." It gives the album an automatic 7 at the very least. There maybe other songs you remember better from the album like "Rehab", which is also one of the better tunes from the album. Winehouse creates the perfect atmosphere of vintage and modern in the album, and brings the sounds of classic R&B to the crowd of today.

History: Amy Winehouse wouldn't get the Grammy for Best Album of the Year, but she would be recognized as Best Pop Vocal. With comparisons to Macy Gray and Sarah Vaughn she was destined to become a classic in the genre. The album has been listed as the best album of the years 2006 and 2007 on several publishing lists. Though the album was a hit before her death, it became even more popular afterward with it topping iTunes sales list.

Bookshelf: Lee Grady's 10 Lies the Church Tells Women

Depending on some of your theological perspectives you may or may not agree with everything in this book. The book does have some topics that anyone of any sex can agree on. While women preaching is still highly controversial in the church there are other subjects like spousal abuse that takes place under the misinterpretation of the submission verse in the Bible that is quite startling, and the fact that pastors would tell a woman to stay in the marriage and just pray her husband changes even if he is beating her. Personally, I think Grady provides enough evidence to suggest that women preaching in church was highly cultural, and plus other parts of text like women wearing head coverings and completely being in silent in church seem to have been mostly overlooked by most denominations while that one is still held tightly to.

Library Reads: Max Brooks' World War Z

Certainly not what I expected. World War Z, the movie version, has come out, so naturally I wanted to try to read the book before reading the movie. The thing is I don't think that was necessary. The movie seems to be a story, whereas the book is a compilation of interviews that the interviewer has put together to chronicle the beginning, middle, and end of the zombie war. I can understand the cult appeal as the book tries to realistically portray every element of the living in a zombie apocalypse, but it has some things that really take away from the realness of the story.

Summary: What would you do if a zombie takeover happened? Many find themselves platooned in boats running from land, some in rebel cities, and others joining a war that involves a variety of methods to eliminate as many zombies as they can. There is a lot to consider when approaching the zombies though like how they might be digging into the ground to find food, or following those out to sea that are platooned, or just how the safest cities might be the ones we most associated with being the enemies.

131 of 1001 Movies: Borat (2006)

Who are we really laughing at in this movie? Borat was pretty much a comedic success in 2006 with audiences and critics receiving it well. I couldn't help but wondering if the joke was on the audience the entire time of watching this movie though. The heart of the movie is mean-spirited, so it isn't that we are laughing with the makers of the movies, but more so it's like a bully picking on you, and then trying to laugh with the bully about being picked on as he continues to assault you. I don't think the intent of this movie was to have a light laugh at the expense of others though. There is a lot of political and religious undertones that seems like just a heyday for the makers who are all on the same page to laugh at the same thing.

Kazakh TV reporter, Borat, is sent to the United States to report on the United States, and also bring back some tips from the culture in order to help his own struggling country. A documentary crew follows him as he travels from New York to California on a road trip, and sets up multiple interviews along the way with people who are supposedly unknowing that this is a mockumentary. Borat encounters a distraction to his goal though when he falls for Pamela Anderson after seeing her in Baywatch, and sets his sights instead on locating and marrying her.

102 of 1001 Movies: The Departed (2006)

The Departed isn't really a movie you know how good it is till a day or so after you have watched it. Martin Scorsese directs The Departed, and adds a lot of unique flare to this tale of fighting violence in the city directed by the mob. Everything from the film noir vibe of the lighting at times to the very identifiable music put in, it gives the movie a lot of character.  On top of that you have some very great actors who really bring their best to bringing their characters to life, and giving it their all no matter what side of the good and bad field they end up on.

Billy is an undercover cop who has successfully infiltrated a Mafia clan. Colin Sullivan is working as a detective in the police force, but is actually a mole working for Costello, one of the leaders of an Irish-American Mafia group. Billy realizes there is a mole in the police force, and Sullivan realizes there is an infiltrator in the mafia he works for they both begin setting out to find each other out before the other one can. The guys even end up dating the same woman. While Sullivan appears to remain calm and confident though, Billy seems to be falling to pieces pretending to be apart of the mafia, and hunt the mole.