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Paul Morrissey recommended The Third Man (1949) in Movies (curated)

 
The Third Man (1949)
The Third Man (1949)
1949 | Thriller
8.0 (9 Ratings)
Movie Favorite

"Maybe the best film ever made in Europe about modern Europe, by my favorite of all European directors, Carol Reed. It’s a companion piece to its follow-up, The Man Between, my other favorite Reed film; both films present a totally pessimistic take on the moral collapse of a divided postwar Europe, with no heroes or possible redemption. I’ve probably seen it fifty or sixty times since it first appeared on TV in the 1950s, and still watch it from beginning to end whenever I get the chance. With the exception of the miscast Orson Welles (how could Alida Valli ever have loved such a mean-spirited, charmless, smirking killer?), the players, led by Joseph Cotten, Valli, and Trevor Howard, are at their best, as are the finest collection of German-Austrian actors ever assembled. It contains one of the greatest musical scores and has easily the greatest ending to any film ever made."

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On the Town (1949)
On the Town (1949)
1949 | Comedy, Musical, Romance
9
9.3 (3 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Cheery MGM musical is possibly the only chance you will ever have to see Frank Sinatra belly dancing. Three sailors on leave in New York for a day have various misadventures and hook up with girls who are rather more clued-up about big city life than they are.

Made in 1949, and you can almost taste the buoyancy and optimism of post-war America: there are no social issues to be explored in this film, which is all about being young and carefree and enjoying yourself. Subverts expectations by having some of the girls be much more romantically pro-active than the boys they encounter; this is rather charming and funny. Still, one of those musicals where a lot of the songs are slightly forgettable, but Gene Kelly and Ann Miller dance up a storm every time they get the chance. It's almost pure froth, but rather touching and enormously likeable.
  
Hounds of Love Soundtrack by Kate Bush
Hounds of Love Soundtrack by Kate Bush
1985 | Rock
6.7 (3 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"I first encountered Kate Bush through 'Wuthering Heights'. I remember my sister rushed out and bought that single in 1978 so I was very aware of her. The Sex Pistols and Kate Bush were my formative music, not The Smiths and David Bowie, that came later. For me Hounds Of Love is the biggest influence on [Suede's] Dog Man Star. I love the way it's a record of two halves, and the second half is a concept record about fear of drowning. It's an amazing record to listen to really late at night, unsettling and really jarring. I always wanted to make a record that was a concept album but not in an ELP sense. I wanted to make one that had a musical coherence, and wasn't just ten songs stuck together but had this sense of journey, that took the listener to a new world. And that's the impact Hounds Of Love had on Dog Man Star."

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A Week Away (2021)
A Week Away (2021)
2021 | Drama, Family, Musical
5
5.0 (1 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Fiercely innocuous Netflix family musical. Too cool for school (NB he's not actually that cool) bad-boy (NB nor is he that bad either) is given a choice between Juvie and going to church camp for a week. Cue lots of cute romance, gentle comedy, dancing and singing about the grace of God, and, wouldn't you know it, religious conversion.

A ruthlessly cynical grab at the juicy faith-based-movie market by Netflix. This one is better than most, I suppose: the songs aren't painful to listen to and everyone is clearly trying their hardest. But its determination to be completely non-threatening and wholesome renders it bland to the point of absurdity - the sentiments expressed are mostly inoffensive (although the subtext is inevitably authoritarian, as with most movies about finding God), but it's almost totally lacking in drama, grit, tension and any genuine sense of threat. Passable entertainment if you want to watch something totally unchallenging. But why would you?
  
ABCD: Any Body Can Dance (2013)
ABCD: Any Body Can Dance (2013)
2013 | Drama, Music
(0 Ratings)
Movie Favorite

"I’m going to put in a strange one now, Any Body Can Dance. This is my favorite movie for the last two years. It’s a Bollywood musical dance movie, and I don’t watch enough Bollywood movies. I watch them on the plane sometime, and you know because I travel a lot from place to place, and this one has been my favorite Bollywood films. It’s nearly unpredictable, you know if you’re coming from a Western point of view, but I _____ the same way Bollywood has a different theater role. So for me it’s always surprising what happens in the story, at least it still is, and this is amazing music and dancing in it. It’s like 20 Indian Michael Jacksons. I’ve seen it twice, and parts of it I’ve seen three times. It’s crazy. It’s unusual for a recent movie for me. Yeah, it’s a weird one. It’s not going to be for everyone, I know."

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Gruff Rhys recommended California 99 by Jimmie Haskell in Music (curated)

 
California 99 by Jimmie Haskell
California 99 by Jimmie Haskell
(0 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"This 1971 album by Hollywood arranger Jimmie Haskell is a rare case of the Topographical Album. It reimagines a future sovereign state of California in the wake of a catastrophic earthquake along the San Andreas fault - creating a gigantic inland lagoon where most of So-Cal sits today. If you're a Mapster that's into Maps - then this is the record for you - and from that perspective this has the greatest sleeve ever made. (Folds out into a giant map of said post apocalypse America). For heritage rock completists: this record features a cover of the Band's 'The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down' and Joe Walsh ( who would soon be joining the Eagles) features heavily on a couple of tunes. Generally though, Approach with caution - even though it's a fun record and a bold attempt at a new musical micro-genre, it also has the faint unwelcome smell of the rock opera."

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Cool City by Cary Brothers
Cool City by Cary Brothers
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Album Rating
My old buddy Matty D used to play bass for him; Cary's been around for a while. This is how I heard this song at first: Oh really, that's the whole chorus? I mean he gives so little to start out; this whole song is a crescendo, coming from the arrangement, the production, how the chorus keeps getting slightly longer - and then you realize it's all been a set-up for the bridge.

Cary Brothers is quintessential Los Angeles. He's talking about cigarettes and easy parking, he looks good but not too good; the tie is not done. But the production is as good as it gets, and the voice is California all day long.

“I got her number
but she was so smart
I’m feeling stupid
at least it’s a start”
— Cary Brothers

This is a snapshot, a production relic, a grab-and-go musical fast-food. And it is delicious. Cool City indeed.