Michael, Jeremy Barcelona

Me and mine are off to Barcelona for two weeks (dos semanas).

I will be en la plya soaking up el sol and making sure I make good use out of the siesta (it really is like having two days in one)

As I fly out I will leave you with some more Madonna in all hr Spanish wanna be glory (including that new track...ugh!



From left to right
La Isla Bonita, Who's That Girl, Veras, Be Careful, Lo que sienta la Mujer, Spanish Lessons.

I am offering a fantastic opportunity

Right here...on this blog...you can see the entire 'Sticky and Sweet' tour by MADONNA!!!!

This fantastic opportunity is bought to me by MADONNAGLAMxxx.

Watch it here!!!



So I have been obsessed with watching this non stop on You Tube. Through all the crappy vid's and bad sound you get a good idea of how the show is, especially with this little breakdown. And while it is no 'Confessions Tour' it is still Madonna and the woman can put on a show. But no 'Holiday' again!!??!! She needs to rethink that for next time!

I am LOVING her versions of 'Borderline', 'Into the Groove', and 'Like a Prayer'.
But no so much the new stuff (and it does come across as weak when compared with the rest of her catalogue here). I have been thinking about my dream Madonna tour. And have decided that I will plan my own. Stay tuned

Paint the world Pink!

So maybe I do love this song utterly, but it is Pink.
If anyone was to follow in Madonna's foot steps I really thought she would be the one.



What do you all think?

Isn't that a lovely...

'Best Actor in a Leading Role' poster?

"The Secret Life of Bee's" Trailer

Ok. This could go many ways. I am hoping it goes the direction of 'Fried Green Tomatoes' and 'Eve's Bayou' instead of something slushy (which the trailer is hinting at with not too much subtlety).
Nothing is shown of Sophie Okonedo's performance as 'May', but lots is shown of Latifah, so she could possibly be in contention for supporting actress at years end.

We know Hudson will not be up, but the big question will be how good will she be? Can she actually become a legitimate actress?

Trailer The Secret life of bees (V.O.)
Uploaded by CINeol

Come on! Vote!

The title of the post is funny if you sing it in the manner of 'Vogue'.



that is right Emma, everyone loves a winner.
It seems Emma Thompson is indeed loved by critics and the Academy, but watch out of Mary McDonnell and her passionate fish who are swimming close behind.

Have your say! Vote for who you think should have won Best Actress in 1992. The Poll is to your right (in the side bar)

La Vie En Pussy...cat?

Sasha Stone leads us to this possible news about the casting for Batman 3. I love this idea more so than this one which let's face it is not even in the planning stages. Catwoman is a difficult character to get your head around. she is either played for laughs or sex appeal. Michelle Pfeiffer is the definitive Catwoman of our times, but she does need a revamp.

Solange

Sure she sounds like a French food dish, but Beyonce's sister seems to me to be the real deal. Instead of taking on the oh-so-tired r-n-b sound that is saturating the airwavesm she takes it back with not only a catchy stompy little ditty, but her video is equally as fun.

Looks like the Knowles family has someone a little bit more talented (at least to these ears).

Solange - I Decided Pt. 1 HHvidZ.com
Uploaded by HHvidZ

Super plan?

With the success of "The Dark Knight" it seems that Warner is now decided to get more return on investment out of their DC Comics characters by giving them a dose of reality. Sure it works for Batman, but he has no super powers aside from money and therefore is easy for Joe public to relate to, but can it work for Superman?

Yes, even after the attempted reboot of the franchise in 2006 with "Superman Returns" which ultimately is seen as a failure, Warner is still looking at the man with the cape (Edna would so have something to say).

While this is being planned, other films such as "Justice League of America" will be put on the back burner as they plan out a way to re-introduce the man of steel in a way that will allow for a franchise.

Picture Group President, Jeff Robinov, wants to explore the darker side of these characters. And while there are plans for other DC crime fighters to make the transition to the big screen (Green Arrow, Green Lantern, Flash and Wonder Woman) it is Superman that is getting the majority of the attention.

Batman works, not because it is dark, but because it is grounded in reality. No fantastical set pieces and shocking day glow colours to remind us that this is a fabricated world.
This is the same reason "The Incredibles" worked. The first half of the film was entirely based in the real world. It played out like an Alexander Payne film, and once the audience was comfortable and could relate to these characters, then it became super.

How can we relate to Superman or Wonder Woman as people?

They have their work cut out for them if you ask me. Christopher Nolan was lucky and very clever and probably had a lot of internal fights with the studios with "Batman Begins". You have to be a strong director to not let the studio wave it's 'wider audience' wand over a film.

For Superman, the audience will always be there. $100 million at least. But the trick is to make it all seem new, to make us relate, and to leave us wanting more. So far there have been several movies about the man, countless TV shows and many many cartoon versions. Is there something left to say, and if there is, who out there will be able to say it?

"Frost/Nixon" Trailer

I so thought going into this that I would be blown away by Langella as Nixon, and yes he is fantastic, but I am thinking there will be a lot of hurrahs for Michael Sheen as David Frost and Sam Rockwell as James Reston Jr.

Frost Nixon
Uploaded by Endling

Lets hope Ron Howard can deliver, 'cause y'all know Opie does like to make his films controversy free with added slush.

Still looking back and loving it.

This weekend I have been going back re-listening to the Madonna back catalogue. Simply amazing. 'Erotica' still sounds bloody fresh. 'Like a Prayer' is still a magical music experience. 'Ray of Light' is superb. 'Confessions' is brilliant, and I still find hidden layers to the music now. What has surprised me the most though is just the brilliance of 'Music'. So experimental, so unlike her, and featuring songs, that 7 years on still sound musically inventive and striking, even to these overly Madonna saturated ears.

So let's celebrate her concert kick off in Cardiff last night with one of the best performances she has given on stage recently.



I will be getting back to movies soon, but for the time being this will be very Madonna based. Still working through my issues with 'Hard Candy' you see.

Do I smell a Golden Globe nom?

Although "The House Bunny" has not gotten across the board raves, it seems its star is finally getting the notice she deserves. The reviews on her work is basically unanimous in effect calling her a comedy genius. We of course already knew that.

"The movie is basically on one level and Faris on another -- in that exclusive aerie occupied by Judy Holliday, Carole Lombard, Lucille Ball and a few other blissfully original comedy goddesses." - LA Weekly, Scott Foundas

"Manages to stand on its own two skyscraper heels thanks to the comic force of nature that is Anna Faris." - The Hollywood Reporter, Michael Rechtshaffen

Hopefully she can walk away with a Globe nom. She more than deserves it.

Beating Dead Horse

I know I am boarder line obsessed with trying to remind myself that Madonna is an power house musical talent. 'Hard Candy' disappointed me on so many levels that I cannot even think about it without getting mad. I may even have to lover my 'B-' grade to a 'C'. Even 'Give it 2 Me' is starting to get boring.

What is getting to me is I an usually find a few tracks to grab on to, but aside from 'Incredible' there is nothing....nada...ziltch. Oh I hope she gets back into the studio soon. I even think I figured out what went wrong. It is all producers and very little Madonna on this record.

Anyway....enough Michael!! (I so need someone to come over and give me a Cher slap)

So I took the advise of Jose over at Movies Kick Ass and have gone through her entire back catalogue and will now give my top 15 album tracks that are better than anything on 'Hard Candy'.

15 - I Love New York - Just makes me wanna dance like a spaz.

14 - Back in Business - she will show us the brighter side of living in sin.

13 - Candy Perfume Girl - The only candy of hers I like.

12 - White Heat - I wore my cassette copy out listening to this.

11 - Secret Garden - She takes on jazz house and wins.

10 - Spanish Eyes - One of the best songs about AIDS ever written.

9 - Easy Ride - Musically this is stunning. Her album closers are always so interesting.

8 - X-Static Process - One of the loveliest songs she has ever sung.

7 - Skin - just sonic-ally brilliant.

6 - Impressive Instant - Dance floor gold. Should have been a single.

5 - Nobody's Perfect - This is the album she took the most musical risks on. It paid off.

4 - Let it will Be - Fantastic track and she performed the hell out of it on stage.

3 - Till Death Do Us Part - So emotionally raw and honest, hidden behind a light and frothy beat. Clever girl.

2 - Mer Girl - Just...WOW (the video is a bit strange)

1 - Gone - Perfect. I do miss her ballads.

Looking back

While I struggle with my disappointment in 'Hard Candy' I will look back at the year she transcended Pop Star and became 'Icon'

Madonna - Express Yourself
Uploaded by bebepanda

New Soul?

Ok. I was a big ole Amy Winehouse fan last year. She was a party girl who liked a drink or twenty who stayed up all the hours God sends. But unlike other young women in the drink/drugs/party spotlight she had the talent to back it up.
However, this year is a different story. she has been consistently out drinking and there are so many reports, you tube videos of the woman not only high as a kite and/or drunk as a skunk, but also actually doing drugs (I will not link, it is too sad). Now instead of thinking her just 'troubled' I think she is wasting her talent, and for me that is unforgivable.

The reason I have been thinking of ole 'Wino' lately is there has been an influx of young women going back to the roots of soul in their music. Each of these woman have been compared to Winehouse as though she was the leader of this trend. Adele, Duffy and Gabriella Cilmi have all been called Amy Winehouse knock offs. This is totally unfair on two counts.

Firstly, each of these women are very talented in their own right. Cilmi, only 16 when her album was released, uses her gin soaked sounding voice to craft not only energetic and angry pop tracks, but also juke joint sounding soul as you can hear in her hit single "Sweet About Me". The wonderful and sweet Duffy crafts reflective 60's soul drenched in melancholy. Her first hit single was the up beat "Mercy", but the rest of the album is much ore striking, more like gut wrenching "Warwick Avenue". And finally first out of the gate of these three we have Adele. Not a size zero and proud of it, this 19 year old has more soul dripping out of her than most of the R-n-B artists out there. Just check out her tracks "Cold Shoulder" and "Hometown Glory" for proof.
The reason Amy gets all the credit is because she is seemed to have popularize this sound. Critics and fans alike were excited by this throw back to the origins of Soul music, it was something new. Or was it? This takes me nicely to....

..... Secondly.
Wasn't Macy Grey doing this years ago? Weren't we all sing "I Try" at the top of our lungs so thrilled to have a new sound in the charts? I re-listened to her debut album and it still stands the test of time. She sung about murder, sex and heartache. She sung about men doing her wrong and drinking and getting high way before Amy did. Heck she even made a song about a suicide letter sound like the most uplifting, life affirming song ever!
So where is her credit and the ones who came before her? How easily we forget.

Perhaps it is because these other girls are all white that they are getting the success they do. Who the heck knows, all I know is that I am appreciating all of these women for what they offer up in term of music, and celebrating their differences.

Even Amy (Just sober up honey and stop wasting your talent!!)

Medium Rare Madonna

To see the end of this, Madonna's 50th Birthday, I am going to take a look at some of her lesser know tracks. Some are more widely known than other, but they all still deserve to be heard. Let's hope she releases an album of some rarities.

From her 'Emmy' days we have these three gems:
'(I Like) Love for Tender'
'No Time for Love'
'Laugh to keep from crying'
But as you will see on You Tube there are a lot more.

A very 'before it's time' version of 'Stay' from 1981. She was always ahead of her time. Also around this time ('True Blue') period she recorded 'Crimes of Passion'.

From the 'Erotica' album forward is where we get the best of the missing tracks. Left of the album was 'Dear Father'. Also on You Tube there are loads of demo versions from songs that did make the cut. Although she recorded 'Love Won't Wait' during 'Bedtime Stories' she never released it, instead it was given to Gary Barlow (Take That) to record.
It was the 'Ray of Light ' album that offers some of the most interesting tracks. The utterly brilliant 'Revenge', the sad and strangely compelling 'Gone, Gone, Gone', the ABBA cover of 'Like an Angel Passing Through My Room' and the slow and somewhat plodding 'Like a Flower''
And for something really fun, her are some of her 'Ray of Light' recording sessions recorded. Kind of cool to listen to the woman work.
'Ray of Light' sessions

Apparently recorded with Orbit for 'Music', 'Liquid Love' is possibly a better track than 'Runaway Lover' that made the cut. Strange how things work sometimes.

Most everyone has heard all the tracks from Confessions, but here they are again. They sound like b-sides, but are still interesting and deserve a wider release. 'Fighting Spirit' is a slower track that doesn't really fit in the confessions sound. 'Super Pop' is really just a lot of fun, would have stuck out like a sore thumb on the album, but glad it reared it's head. 'History' and 'Keep The Trance' are odd ducks. The former is a good track marred down by righteous lyrics, and the second is rather badly written.
Hard Candy was not the best album, so you can imagine the unreleased tracks not being that great, as you can see with 'Ring My Bell'

And finally a remix of "Give It 2 ME" that is far better than the ones released on the single:
Give It 2 Me (Fedde Le Grand Extended Mix)