Inner Corr

Sarah McLachlan: Afterglow (2003)

2008-10-01T01:29:00.359+01:00

Canadian singer, songwriter and three time Grammy-Award winner Sarah McLachlan released her fifth studio album- Afterglow in winter 2003. The record sold close to 5 million copies worldwide, receiving a massive 5x platinum status in Canada alone. The album topped the charts in both the US and Canada whilst here in the UK, it entered the top 40 making Afterglow McLachlan’s most successful UK entry to date. Although McLachlan has achieved international success over the last two decades, she still remains an unfamiliar musician among many Brits. On her side of the pond however, she is a household name having sold over 26 million records worldwide since her recording career began in 1988 with her debut album Solace. As for not repeating this success here, could it be that she is yet to be discovered on this side of the Atlantic?

Sarah’s is the kind of music you would hear in the movies, romantic-dramas especially where songs speak the language of the emotionally wounded when love is unrequited, lost or in yearning. Her single Angel received immense popularity after being used in this respect for many soundtracks and quite often for tributes. It was respectively used in mourning for those lost in the 9/11 tragedy. The song was famously featured in Brad Silberling’s City Of Angels (1998) which earned the soundtrack to the film a quadruple- platinum status and made Surfacing (1997), the album to which the song belonged- her biggest selling album to date. I was impressed enough with City Of Angels to call it one of my favourite films of all time and while the entire soundtrack was easy on the ears, it was the track Angel in particular that has just stayed with me ever since.

After having discovered the enchantingly mellow sound of McLachlan, I quickly became a fan of the songstress and now own most of her albums. Afterglow is one of my favourites from the collection for its uniquely comforting qualities. I believe that McLachlan has always had a voice touched by the heavens and Afterglow flaunts the versatility of her euphoric vocals once again. Arguably, her voice is her most powerful instrument. It is gentle yet full of such strength that it compliments the wonderfully orchestrated sound of each track. Her soft undertones are truly sublime and could leave anyone speechless. Answer and Time are tracks that particularly illustrate how her vocals can almost become one with the atmospheric classical-folksy sound of her music.

Fallen was the first track to be released from the album whose initial popularity sent record sales flying in the far west. The song is essentially about the acceptance of defeat. It’s about loss and the desperate desire to escape from a situation with no doors and while this means the lyrics are a touch pessimistic, the upbeat sound of the song is elevating and applies reassuring optimism. The tracks World On Fire and Stupid are also from a similar vein to Fallen. Both are extremely catchy and are most likely to become some of the firsts to grow on you. The rest of the tracks are like hidden gems, the more you uncover them, the more they will shine. For me, these gems are undoubtedly Perfect Girl and Train Wreck.

Perfect Girl translates as a goodbye song- a sincere, heartfelt goodbye song that takes the strain out of a bitter ending. It's extremely sophisticated and sung with such beautiful clarity that it is deeply enthralling. The song is certainly a grower so give it time and let it's breathtaking melody ripen in your ears for it could soon become your personal favourite too! The track is perfectly arranged and reveals McLachlan as an outstanding pianist, especially during her piano solo in the last minute of the song. The easygoing Train Wreck is wonderfully poetic and lyrically one of the strongest tracks of the album. The song seems to be in yearning for a love that would soon erase the pain of a broken heart. It’s a feel good feather-lite rock song that is possibly the most romantic track of the ten. World On Fire is a political track that demonstrates McLachlan’s philanthropic ways. This inspirational song suggests how for some, a little can mean a lot- especially for those living in third-world poverty as the video to the track illustrates.

Dirty Little Secret takes me to a place very close to home. It’s a song about regret, the regret we carry with us when the things we wanted to say the most weren’t said... and then it’s too late. Surprisingly enough, the song isn’t as heavy on the heart as you would imagine. It’s strangely nurturing and takes you to a place of comfort through your pain, and if you’re not in pain, it’s simply a great chill-out track to unwind to. Drifting, Time and Answer are tracks that will radiate a sense of warmth around you. They’re like lullabies for the experienced and an incarnation of the truth that lies within your heart. They’re decadent and raw- And this is part of what makes this album so unbelievably magical.

Afterglow is McLachlan’s most ethereal album yet. Every track tells a story- a story about a time and a place where we all have been (or will be at some point in our lives). It achieves a strange sense of optimism through its pessimism that flows with eloquence, song after song. With a voice that could melt steel, McLachlan delivers a unique blend of chill-out music that resonates and like time- is a great healer. McLachlan is due to release her greatest hits album Closer: The Best of Sarah McLachlan early this October, while the European release date has been pushed back to February ’09. The album would be a great introduction for those who aren't familiar with Sarah McLachlan and will feature two tracks of new material- Don’t give up on us and U want me 2 which reflect the strain of McLachlan's recent seperation from her husband.

So until then, be sure to grace your stereos with the blissful sound of Afterglow. The album is produced, engineered and mixed by the visionary Pierre Marchand who has truly managed to ignite the magic created by McLachlan- and while this isn't the first time the two have collaborated for the production of an album, Afterglow seems to be one of their greatest efforts yet. There is not one dull song in the entire album, each tells a different story that carries a suited melody. The album paints an honest picture of the experienced and of all the feelings we like to hide- it is truly amazing, so be sure to listen to it if you haven't already. McLachlan is, without a doubt, one of the greatest musicians of our time. Hers is the kind of music we can all relate to and Afterglow... could be the soundtrack of your life.

'Music is my escape. Music is my refuge. I could crawl into the space between the notes and curl my back to loneliness. Music is the soundtrack to life; it explains perfectly what can not be put into words'

- Maya Angelou: Gather Together In My Name.
(First edition published in 1974)

Sci Fi Day: (Part Two) Transformers (2007)

2008-09-08T19:48:00.066+01:00

Unlike the rather complex Donnie Darko, you only need half a brain to enjoy our last film of the day. So if you’re thinking of watching Transformers then turn on your TV and switch off your brain for some mindless robot on robot action. The film follows a high school student whose mediocre life becomes fantasy when his old Camaro transforms into Autobot Bumblebee: The boy’s guardian in a war against the evil Decepticons.

The film is non-stop entertainment from start to finish with some very cool robot fighting footage seen throughout this action adventure. The graphical imagery was all pretty impressive and it all seemed very real. It's amazing how much attention to detail they have put into making it look this good. Although most of it was composed with CGI (Computer-Generated Imagery), Spielberg encouraged Bay to restrict the use of CGI to the robots and background elements in the action sequences which, I think, gave the film more of a realistic feel. At times the robot fight scenes were extremely close-up and in your face which made the super-sonic action a bit difficult to keep up with. I hope Bay will hit the minus button a few times on the 'zoom' front where the next film is concerned!

My favourite performances of the film are delivered from the Autobots themselves. They all have their own personalities which make them all the more loveable and amusing to watch. It avoided any opportunity where you would be calling any one of them an “it”. Peter Cullen, the voice behind Optimus Prime's character was wise and worldly and he was quite paternal which made him appear extremely comforting and an all round good leader. Did you know that Cullen once was the voice of Eeyore in Winnie the Pooh?

Bumblebee was just a gesturing genius. Despite having lost his voice during battle, his actions throughout the film suggest more than words ever could. He is a man's best friend and is there definitely more than what meets the eye through his yellow and black exterior (don't forget to notice the bee hanging on Bumblebee's windscreen which reads "Bee Otch"- check that attitude!) As for the humans in the film, I'm not entirely convinced. Shia LaBeouf (pronounced SHY-uh luh-Buff) in particular I thought was generally ok if a little flawed in his role as Sam Witwicky.

There were moments in the film where I felt his reaction wasn’t quite the appropriate or believable for the scene at hand. It may be an opinion many may not share with me, but I'm afraid he just doesn't do it for me (sorry ladies... oh and Ian hehe). As he’s a current Hollywood favourite, I’m hoping he will change my mind someday. The rest of the characters deliver a promising performance. This film's an all round entertainer- a definite recommendation for anyone who enjoys some straightforward action-packed Sci Fi madness. Bay’s next chapter from the franchise is just around the corner- Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is due to be released in the summer of ’09- can't wait!

For Ian's take on Transformers, click here.

Thanks for your patience with our slightly extended version of Sci-Fi Day. I hope you guys enjoyed our line-up and will equally enjoy our upcoming genre which will be announced in the near future so watch this space.

Beeeeee Goooood!

Sci Fi Day: (Part Two) Donnie Darko (2001) The Director's Cut

2008-09-08T16:23:00.016+01:00

Some would say that Donnie Darko is like marmite, either you love it or you hate it. Well, I’ve just seen Donnie Darko for the first time which has secretly left me asking for more (which is more than I can say about marmite!) Unlike the sticky dark-brown paste, the film leaves you with a curious aftertaste and a relentless fascination that stays with you for a while.

Most of this fascination stems from the film’s ambiguity. Richard Kelly’s Sci Fi psychodrama poses many thought provoking questions where fate, destiny, time and the existence of God are all put under the spotlight. The film oozes so much depth that it is impossible to absorb it all from a first time viewing. It’s a film that’ll give you something new to think about each time you watch it.

Donald J. Darko, our spiritual superhero, is played by the very talented Jake Gyllenhaal who delivers a memorable performance as the troubled teenager who sets off to uncover the truth about time travelling after being told by a vision dressed in a menacing bunny suit that the world will come to an end in exactly 28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes and 12 seconds (which is weird considering the film was made in exactly 28 days- spooky!).

Gyllenhaal added a very dark, satirical element to his character which I thought worked really well for the film and its general idea. There were some very poignant and creepy moments which could also categorize the film as a horror/suspense thriller. The Film is about overcoming the fear of dying alone; it’s about a man who saves the world and most of all, its a meaningful love story unlike any other I’ve seen. A lot of things in the film are left unexplained- things we may never be able to explain. It questions life and the essence of our being. It makes us wonder about the bigger things in life which is what I think makes this film so amazing.

For Ian's take on Donnie Darko, click here.

Sci Fi Day: (Part Two) E.T: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

2008-09-07T11:59:00.020+01:00

What makes this film an all time classic is how it manifests a blend of four extremely well done genres into one successful viewing for all the family. In other words, E.T. is so much more than just your average Sci Fi film- it’s also a children’s fantasy, a family drama as well as a Sci Fi adventure film which serves a treat for all. Nearly three decades later, the film still manages to preserve these genres well while the sentimental value of the film still remains powerful as ever, making it one of the greatest tearjerkers of all time- (yes, I did find myself fighting back the tears even now!).

All this is achieved from some spectacular performances from our child actors, Henry Thomas and Drew Barrymore who really made us laugh and cry in all the right parts- (something many adult actors have failed to accomplish!). We could argue that child actors are the best kind of actors, after all, children aren’t as experienced as adults and so their only resources would be their real reactions and emotions to things they encounter in the scenes. They express this sense of truth in their performances which has managed to win us over so well.

Drew Barrymore as the mischievous Gertie was my favourite performance of the entire film. How can a seven year old kid (who is just so adorable by the way) possess sarcasm and wit as traits? (and why can’t all kids be like that?!) With an amazing performance from Barrymore at such a young age, we are anything but surprised at how successful her acting career has been as an adult (which we’ll be seeing very shortly with Donnie Darko). The alien is naturally very cute with sympathy evoking features which represents a child’s imaginary friend that comes to life.

E.T. was the film of my childhood- a film that I never got tired of watching over and over again. It had been some years before I ventured back to it once again for Sci Fi day and I’m really glad I did- it brought me back to a time when life was a little more carefree and magical. E.T. is a wonderful timeless tale about friendship and an all round great Spielberg Sci Fi family film.

For Ian’s take on E.T. click here.

Sci Fi Day: Aliens Vs Predator: Requiem (2007)

2008-08-31T13:29:00.033+01:00

This was one of the films I was looking forward to the most because it was the only one neither of us had seen yet (not counting Deja Vu which we may or may not watch). Coming from someone who’s quite fond of the Alien and Predator franchises, the Strause brothers’ instalment from the AVP saga was abysmal which if anything is being kind. We managed to suss out the survivors very early on into the film where the characters are being introduced and so the plot couldn’t have been more predictable.

The film’s only original idea was the pregnant lady’s chest/tummy buster scene which was poorly executed. The rest of the gore was nothing we hadn’t seen before which was pretty boring to watch. I felt that AVPR tried to be a slasher movie as much as a science fiction/horror film- Ian; I’m with you on this one. I suppose a triple combo of these genres could have worked if done properly, but in this case, I think they failed miserably. Let’s just hope that this is the last time we see Aliens and Predators in the same film and if they must make any future films, they should get back to their original roots.

For an Alian’s perpective on AVPR, click here.

Unfortunately we didn’t get around to watching all the films but we’ll be finishing them off in the not too distant future, so watch this space!

Sci Fi Day: Phase IV (1974)

2008-08-30T21:39:00.045+01:00

To say that this film is cringe-worthy would be an understatement. For those of you who don’t know me, I don’t deal very well with insects; in fact, I hate them! There were a couple of times where I physically flinched and elbowed Ian much to his discomfort thinking ants were actually crawling on me! So apart from wearing the same painful expression throughout the film, I must admit that Phase IV was a completely different breed of Sci Fi than I’ve ever seen. More than anything, I really enjoyed the concept of insect intelligence which is something rarely seen in the serious science fiction genre.

The film was very much like The Discovery Channel at times with close-up shots monitoring ant activity where even the finest of ant hairs were picked up and then of course there is the mantis devouring the ant scene which was disturbing but cool. There was a particular ‘ant crawling out of a palm’ scene which reminded me of Luis Bunuel’s rather bizarre short film Un Chien Andalou (1929)- both equally disturbing. The ending was somewhat ambiguous which wasn’t completely satisfying but perhaps in keeping with the rest of the film. An interesting watch, but not sure I’d want to see it again (plus the ants may give me nightmares!).

For fanboy’s perspective on Phase IV click here.

Sci Fi Day: Godzilla aka Gojira (1954)

2008-08-30T18:58:00.015+01:00

This was one of the films I recommended for the day because it carried a lot of pleasant childhood memories, well, at least I thought it did. After watching it, I’ve realised that this Japanese subtitled original isn’t the version of Godzilla I remember watching as a child- I’m sure of this because I don’t remember being this bored! I felt like skipping to the good bits but Ian wouldn’t let me have the remote. It just goes to show that an original isn’t necessarily always the best, Ishirô Honda may have created Godzilla but others, in my opinion, have certainly improved on it. The monster itself I thought was really cute, anyone else agree?

Despite the film itself being just as slow paced as the giant reptile of the title, it will always remain a classic Sci Fi movie that introduced one of cinema’s greatest monsters. It’s a shame its just so incredibly dull! Although, I did manage to find my own little way of amusing myself when we see Godzilla chewing on the tower- I couldn’t help but think of that famous Chewits advert, you know the one - “I like to chew it, chew it. I like to...CHEW IT!”

For Ian's take on Godzilla click here.

Sci Fi Day: The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957)

2008-08-30T16:45:00.027+01:00

This film is pure Sci Fi entertainment through and through. It’s another film I hadn’t seen but heard of through the grapevine which successfully managed to exceed any expectations I had prior to watching it. I was in constant awe of the detail captured by a clever use of the camera to convey the contrasts in size, none of it looked tacky or unreal, it was extremely well done.

Grant Williams did a fabulous job playing Scott Carey, a handsome successful businessman whose entire being later metamorphoses into a shrunken man due to a mysterious mist encountered at sea. His attention to detail is gripping as was the rest of the film. The film makes you wonder about the differences between mankind and all other creatures.

We almost empathise with the creatures in the film (yes, even the giant scary spider) because in the grand scheme of things, we all need the bear essentials to survive and the film just shows how much we take for granted and how difficult life must be for creatures like the spider. The film becomes an emblem for the 'survival of the fittest' which includes all species, big and small. It also reminds us that every living organism in this world has significance and for me, thats the most powerful message in the film.

The final spider fight scene was just horrific; I actually felt a shiver as I was watching it- a shiver that films like Arachnophobia didn’t manage achieve quite to this calibre despite it being a great movie. The cat’s paw tearing through the doll house scene was just hilarious- it really made me laugh. The ending was inspiring if a little too unrealistically optimistic for my liking. A great film nevertheless, I can’t believe I hadn’t seen this film until now- really glad I did. As for Eddie Murphy playing the lead on the 2010 remake of The Incredible Shrinking Man, be afraid... be very afraid.

For Ian’s take on The Incredible Shrinking Man click here.

Sci Fi Day: Forbidden Planet (1956)

2008-08-30T14:21:00.016+01:00

A few weeks ago if someone had asked me if I’d seen Forbidden Planet, I would have said “Yes, isn’t that the fantasy comic store?” Until Ian introduced me to it, I had no idea that there was also a Sci Fi film of the same name. I’ve just finished watching Forbidden Planet and found it quite impressive if a little dull in parts. For a futuristic film made in the ‘50s the graphics and picture quality was admirable. Admirable because it managed to convey a certain quality with its special effects that I’ve seen many films lack in this day and age (I won’t name and shame).

The only dull part for me was when Morbius goes off on one about the alien technology, but that may be something to do with being female! I was however fascinated with Morbuis’ daughter Altaira’s dress sense which over 50 years later is now back in fashion! Leslie Nielson was an interesting watch because I’ve never seen him in such a serious role(nor have I ever seen him look so tall dark and handsome, shocker!). I’ve only ever seen him do spoof comedies like Scary Movie and Naked Gun and it was refreshing to see him in a different light to his typical self. Robby the robot was really cute- I want one, who needs a man!

For Ian's take on Forbidden Planet click here.

Sci Fi Day!

2008-08-30T12:35:00.011+01:00

Well if all got along, we wouldn't have Sci Fi Day now would we! Back in june, I was a blogging virgin until my friend Ian introduced me to his blog, Mine Was Taller where we collaborated on Horror Day. We watched and reviewed a selection of horror films from vintage classics like The Wolf Man (1941) to modern French gore fests like Inside (2007) and reviewed our thoughts on them as we went on. The day was so successful that we decided to organise a day dedicated to another genre- a genre that often coincides with Horror- Sci Fi!

Of Course this time, I have my own little space to blog. As wonderful as it was blogging on Mine Was Taller for Horror Day, it will be even cooler doing it my own blog. On this occassion, we’ll be doing some synchronized blogging and linking between the two. I would also like to add that many of these films will be a first for me so I have little to no expectations with most of them!

The line-up should be as follows:

Forbidden Planet (1956)

The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957)

Godzilla (The Japanese original) (1954)

Phase IV (1974)

E.T. (1982)

Donnie Darko (The Director’s Cut) (2001)

Transformers (2007)

Aliens Vs Predator: Requiem (2007)

And time permitting, Deja Vu (2006)

Diamonds and Guns (2007) A Review

2008-08-03T11:46:00.134+01:00

This light-hearted romantic comedy follows the lives of two best friends Ashley (Renee O’Connor of Xena: Warrior Princess) and Bria (Helena Beaven) as they set off on a journey to escape their troubles and change their luck. With very little to lose, the girls take a road trip to Las Vegas where their misfortunes take a surprising turn. Somewhere between falling violently sick from a dodgy buffet and getting tangled up with the mob, the girls find themselves in love with the least likeliest of guys in this heart-warming hilarious comedy from ROC Pictures. O’Connor began her work in the director’s chair during the running of Renaissance Pictures’ hit fantasy drama series Xena: Warrior princess where she played her hand at directing two episodes- Dangerous Prey and Deja Vu All Over Again for which she received much accreditation. Shortly after her six year run with the show had come to an end, O’Connor bid farewell to the battling bard Gabrielle and went onto developing her own production company ROC Pictures where Diamonds and Guns became her first independent feature length film.

Bearing in mind that the film was made on an extremely tight budget, I must say that I was really impressed with what they came up with. It was a typical ‘girl’s day out gone bad’ flick that was surprisingly hilarious in parts and well timed with its comedic moments. I guess that boils down to a strong and talented production team that have obviously put a lot of time and effort into making the film work so well in it's genre. All the actors delivered a promising performance onscreen and O’Connor in particular added a slapstick element to the comedy that worked really well. Watch out for O'Connor's rather endearing 'Mice on Ice' routine in her opening sequence - it's priceless! There is a fair bit of adult humour running throughout the film, some subtle and some... not so subtle but funny nevertheless. What I love about the film is how it pushes boundaries and manages to incorporate some of the most outrageous scenes like, Ashley’s intimate night in with the bidet (for those of you unaware, a ‘Bidet’ is a European toilet basin to wash your behind which has been supposedly banned in the US after women’s personal misuse of the product!) – The scene is just laugh-out-loud funny, you have to see it to believe it. I guess in hindsight I would brand the film as an adult comedy but then again the title of the film kind of sums that up!

Helena Beaven, who also co-produced Diamonds and Guns, is also pretty good in her role as Bria: a Kiwi who is set to be deported back to New Zealand unless she produces a valid proof of American citizenship in just seven days. Beaven is currently part contributing her directing skills on another independent project called Night Of The Templer (2008) a tale of bloodthirsty vengeance on the horror/thriller genre which I’m sure will be an interesting watch. Ted Raimi has a small, typically funny part in Diamonds and Guns as the girl's rather zany landlord at the beginning of the film. If you ever watched him play Joxer in Xena, you will see a glimpse of that character seeping through his role as the landlord. I felt a touch of nostalgia watching the two almost recreating a typical ‘Gabby/Joxer’ moment. It would have been nice to see more of Ted Raimi in the film but it was probably a good thing that we didn’t, the film would have been too much of a Gabrielle/Joxer reunion and the idea was to produce a film outside the world of Xena.

The story-line was extremely engaging, fast paced and generally a lot of fun to watch. The only criticism I can think of was for the way in which the film ended. It almost felt incomplete and like it needed more to it. Once the girl’s leave for Vegas, the film flows at a flying pace and just as you get completely absorbed, the film draws a sudden crash ending. The end seemed rather hasty which, to me, quite obviously shows to what degree the film suffered financial constraints. If anything, this is more a compliment than a negative criticism because it showed that I wanted to see more of the film!

O’ Connor provided much of the funding for the film herself and auctioned many of her paintings and other merchandise to aid the completion of Diamonds and Guns which is admirable in itself. One of O'Connor's paintings (pictured) was featured on Diamonds and Guns and is hung up on the back wall to the opening scene. Speaking of funding, O'Connor reveals in the commentary that they couldn't afford extras for the movie so they used actual passer-by's from the public to appear as extras! If you pay attention, its actually quite funny to see their reactions to the actors as they were filming. It’s amazing how a small talented team with very little funding can achieve such good work. It makes you wonder, what could the guys achieve on a bigger budget? I would definitely recommend Diamonds and Guns, it's not a big budget film but it's very amusing and an all round must-see, not just for Renee O’Connor or Xena fan’s but also for anyone who enjoys a well done RomCom.

O’Connor will be back in front of the camera later this year on the sci-fi TV movie Monster Ark (2008) which will be airing the US SCI-FI Channel on the 9th of August '08- Will definitely be looking forward to that, although I wonder when it will air here in the UK (if at all). Then, of course, there is Bitch Slap (2009) which I’m not too excited about. The film see’s an all cast reunion from the Xena/Hercules team with the likes of Lucy Lawless, Kevin Sorbo, Micheal Hurst, Zoe Bell (who played Lucy Lawless’ stunt double in the last three seasons of Xena) and of course Renee O’Connor. Despite the film’s slightly outrageous title, I didn’t want to judge the book by its cover, so I had a look at the trailer and managed to sum it up in four words: Breasts-guns-sex-and more breasts. Reviewer’s are making out that Bitch Slap is a film for both men and women, the obvious reason for men but for women, it's all about girl power. Unfortunately, the trailer speaks a completely different language: Breasts-guns-sex-and more...breasts. Don’t believe me? Click here and have a look for yourself. Still, I’m not going to be completely guilty of judging a movie by its trailer, I can be quite partial to the occasional exploitation film (plus it's from one of the producers of Xena) so I may just add it to the watch list!

The Dark Knight (12A): A Review

2008-07-31T13:34:00.104+01:00

Before I went to see this film, I cleansed my mind of the media’s speculation on particular events surrounding its release, particularly the glorified hype over the late Heath Ledger’s rather eccentric performance as the Joker. It went to the point where the protagonist of the movie, Christian Bale had taken a back step in the eyes of the media and had in fact almost faded into the dark night (small joke). It was all about Ledger and for a while it did make me wonder: Was Heath Ledger’s performance over hyped due to his untimely death? Would it have been different if he were still with us? Brandon Lee (pictured, who in The Crow spookily looks a lot like the Joker) was a primary example whose contribution had been given legendary status unfortunately after his death. So, was Ledger’s performance really worth shouting about? Does The Dark Knight as a film deserve its record breaking glory? I wanted to go see for myself- leaving behind all that’s been talked about.

After leaving the cinema, I was left with a little choice of words and somehow the only word I could summon up to describe the experience of watching it was: Awesome. I’ve seen all the Batman films and have enjoyed watching them but I’ve never really considered myself a fan of the famous rodent vigilante. Batman Begins (2005) was the first Batman film that showed how Batman was made and for those who aren’t comic literate like me, it made the character deeper and so much more appealing because he wasn’t just a man in a bat suit- He was a man with a past. I found that the film gave the character substance and us a chance to see how he came about. As the previous Batman Films gave little in the way of Batman’s history, Batman Begins was a new start that gave the character so much more depth and integrity.

After The Dark Knight, I’m finding myself more inclined to becoming a fan of the franchise (there’s something I never thought I’d say!) Bale, as ever, was extraordinary as Batman and his alter-ego Bruce Wayne. As for Ledger, there is no doubt about it... he stole the show. He absolutely captured the very essence of the Joker giving him a sense of immortality in that he almost didn’t seem human. This was present through his animated walk, the frequent lizard-like licking of his lips, his jester’s tone and of course his morbid facial art that accompanied his many disturbing expressions. According to Bale, Ledger was inspired by Sex Pistols star Sid Vicious (pictured)who soon became the embodiment of the Joker. Ledger was surprising in his role as the Joker because he managed to get the audience laughing with him. He was amusing to say the least and ironically a lovable villain. Throughout the film he makes sardonic jokes about how he got his permanently smiling sinister scars. The first time he explains his heartfelt story of how he got the scars, I found myself sympathising with the psychopathic villain. Later on in the film when he shares another completely different story about the history of the scar, we learn that he his simply toying with his victims’ perception of him and reminds us, the audience, that he is just being himself: a Joker.

I have to say that Jack Nicholson as the Joker was not a patch on Ledger’s representation of the Joker. Don't get me wrong, Nicholson was good but Ledger was just sensational. I found that Nicholson was playing Nicholson with makeup whereas Ledger played a disburbingly comical psychopath who didn't need makeup to justify his Joker. If you took off Nicholson's makeup, we'd just have another Jack Nicholson movie. If Ledger were to take off his make up, I still think he'd be a convincing Joker. There were times where I found myself laughing out loud at Ledger's Joker and it seemed that I wasn't the only one in the cinema who took a liking to the villian. There are not that many villain’s around these days that can actually win the audiences over to this calibre. Through his dark comedy, he made us forget the tragedy of his death while onscreen and this is all the proof we need to believe that he deserves every bit of the praise he is getting from the media.

Having seen all the Batman films (including the very first TV series) I would say with much confidence that Christian Bale is my favourite all time Batman and on that note Heath Ledger is now my all time favourite villain. Films like 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) and Brokeback Mountain (2005) show Ledger playing a more human character whereas in The Dark Knight we see Ledger in an out-of-this-world role and it just shows that his talents had no boundaries. Like, Brandon Lee, Ledger was a young actor with growing talent whose journey had been sadly short lived.

Lee died just before he could complete The Crow and Ledger died before he could complete The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009). The film follows the leader of a traveling theater troupe who, through a deal with the Devil, takes audience members through a magical mirror to explore their imaginations. Ledger's role has been recast with Johnny depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell portraying physically changed transformations of Ledger's character as he travels through dimensions. Ledger, like Lee, was just getting started and although Brokeback Mountain and The Dark Knight mark some of his greatest work, we will never know his greatest work. Just like we will never know Lee's greatest work after he left us with The Crow. And that’s the real tragedy.

One thing that I did find rather unsettling was during the end credits of the movie when Ledger's tribute was displayed. After a few credits had passed the screen read "In memory of our friends Heath Ledger & Conway Wickliffe." Conway Wickliffe, 41 (pictured) was a stunt man for The Dark Knight who died whilst filming in Sept 2007. He was on a camera truck filming an unmanned special effects car, when it struck a tree. Until the ending credits, I had no idea who Wickliffe (father of two aged four and twelve) actually was or that he died during the making of the film. News of Ledger's death was plastered everywhere, TV, the newspapers and even on the radio. There were international documentaries surrounding Ledger's death- but where was Wickliffe's mention?

I just thought it was quite sad that until the ending credits to The Dark Knight almost a year later, no one really knew that Wickliffe even existed. Of course, the ultimate tragedy with Ledger is how he died so young. But Wickliffe's death was a loss nevertheless. 41 is still very young and he was a father, a husband and a successful stunt man for films like Casino Royale, Children Of Men, Black Hawk Down,V For Vendetta to name a few. You can't expect any compassion from the media for they will always lust after celebrity gossip before anything else but it still makes you wonder about where we all stand. The tribute itself doesn't actually appear until some credits have already passed. It was a shame that by that time the cinema had already been cleared. I stayed because I couldn't believe that the film wouldn't pay tribute to Ledger knowing how much he had contributed to it. I was relieved when they did... eventually.

Anyway, back to reviewing! The Dark Knight is a must-see. The film is quite long but the time just flies by due to everyone’s powerful performances onscreen. Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Aaron Eckhart and even Micheal Caine (who I am not generally that fond of) were all brilliant, and when everyone’s brilliant, you have to give credit to the director. Christopher Nolan has done a wonderful job with The Dark Knight and as his films just get better each time, we wait with much anticipation for his next instalment from Gotham City. It is alleged that Johnny Depp could be playing the infamous Ridler in the next Batman film. Personally, I can’t think of anyone better for the part. Jim Carrey successfully added the annoyance factor that is essential to play the Ridler but he was lacking that special something. Perhaps Johnny Depp could be the answer to Ridler? We’ll just have to wait and see.

"When I die, my money's not gonna come with me. My movies will live on for people to judge what I was as a person. I just want to stay curious"
Heath Ledger-18th Nov' 2007
(Interview for London's Sunday Telegraph magazine).

If music be the food of love, play on

2008-07-15T18:16:00.082+01:00

These were the words famously written by the legendary William Shakespeare and he wasn’t wrong- Music would be the food of love with its endless ability to feed the musical appetite of each and every one of us. Music is an art we are all drawn to, an art we can all relate to. Whether it’s a particular genre, artist or simply anything that inspires us to listen on; we all have our unique musical interests that fill up our Mp3 players. Music is a powerful fragment of our world that can change the way we feel in a single moment. It has the power to make us smile and cry, it has the power to make us feel invincible and free when you least expect it, but most of all music has the amazing ability to heal. Music can be spiritual for some where at times it can define who we are. And for me, this has been the very case.

Having been born in the mid '80s, I didn’t have a strong recollection of what this decade had to offer musically. Of course, no one could avoid the likes of Wham, Spandau Ballet and Madonna who shaped the '80s as we know it. But an age dominated by cheesy musical numbers such as 'Wake me up before you go go' with artists insisting on encouraging mullets, perms and shoulder padded blazers wasn’t quite my cup of tea. I was more interested in what Zippy and Bungle were up to on the children’s classic Rainbow.

Anyway, it was the '90s when I really began to develop an ear for music. I was just a wee girl and my musical knowledge began to broaden from what seemed before a sing-along at Sesame Street. I particularly remember listening to Kylie Minogue’s Pop infused Indie track Confide In me whilst in a ghost train at the local funfair. Unfortunately the ghost train was a bit of a disappointment and failed miserably at achieving a scary ride, on the other hand the song itself was actually quite eerie and far more haunting than the monster’s that were creeping at me. Strangely, almost a decade later, I would still describe Confide In Me as an eerie, haunting track. It’s funny how some things never change.

Heading toward the mid to late '90s as I was entering my early teens, I listened to almost anything and everything. This was a time of experimentation and figuratively speaking, the world was my musical oyster. I listened to anything from the Titanic soundtrack to the manufactured five piece ‘boy band’ plastics- that’s right, I said boy bands! Before we go any further, I must confess to once liking Take That,N'Sync, Boyzone and even the Backstreet boys (No Mercy anyone?). I’m sure many of us have a few secrets we like to keep locked away in the closet, certain songs... certain artists that we are embarrassed to admit we like[d] but we secretly love. Like it or not the '90s was a time dominated by cheesy boy bands that annoyingly sang in close to perfect harmony and even for those of you who are anti-boy bands, I’m sure you’ve all secretly liked the occasional song here or there!

The year of '95 was a very difficult time for me. I was only eleven and in search of answers to questions I was afraid to ask. We all know that your teens are a time of self discovery and mischief and yet I was completely the opposite of this cliché. My life was merely an emotional rollercoaster ride of physical pain and despair and there were times where I felt lost and deeply insecure. My older sister became the voice inside my head and the person who stopped me from falling- tempting as it seemed. Part of me still didn’t understand a lot of things that were happening in my life and even though I had my sister, there were some things I couldn’t even talk to her about for fear of what may come of it. Outside I was quiet and spoke under my breath, displaying a happy face. Inside I couldn’t have felt more alone.

With this heavy cloud of pain and frustration hanging over me, I was desperately seeking a beautiful release, a sense of freedom from pain and a new identity- a place where I could call home. Continuing my road to self discovery, in 1996 I heard a song called "What Can I do?" on the radio. I liked the song from the moment I heard it, it was different and extremely catchy. The vocals were playful, warm and honeyed whilst the music was beautifully orchestrated with a contemporary sound of the violin. As the song finished, the DJ announced the band as ‘The Cause’ (or so it sounded like!).

I remember asking my friends if they had heard "What Can I do?" But no one seemed to have heard of the song or a band called ‘The Cause.’ This was a time where the internet wasn’t a common thing amongst most households so looking it up was out of the question. A few months later, I stumbled across a band called The Corrs who were performing a song called Runaway on Top of the Pops- Another beautiful song that I was quickly catching onto, but the obvious didn’t quite hit me- ‘The Cause’ sounded amazingly like ‘The Corrs’!

Around this time, my family had just installed Sky and it was after having access to MTV that I had the opportunity to see the music video to "What Can I do?" and I finally realised that the band was in fact called ‘The Corrs’- an Irish Pop/Folk band made up of four siblings. Shortly after that, I heard another of their songs called "So Young" which was a happy song about youth and not caring about a thing in the world. This song reminded me of times in my youth where worry, pain and fear were all distant things. I felt a sense of nostalgia and it took me to a place of comfort through all my troubles. The Corrs were quickly becoming an answer to my questions.

It was when I heard 'Only When I Sleep' from the same album Talk On Corners that I fell head over heels in love. It was a turning point in my life because everything I’d ever felt that I was unable to show had been personified by this song alone. It was the power behind Andrea Corr’s voice that oozed passion, simplicity and a touch of laziness that had me captivated. It was also their poetic use of language that created a dreamy place for us to escape that had me mesmerized. Through their words, through their music, I found solace and in many ways it gave me a glimpse of hope that inside I wasn’t alone. I had found a sense of freedom, something to relate to. It was from their artistic style in writing that inspired me to write myself.

Writing is awesome and I feel we should all be doing it more. It can be therapeutic and possibly the single most effective antidote for the emotionally wounded. It’s a great way to channel all of your anger, aggression and passion onto paper. What’s more is that you don’t have to be a poet to write, just pen your thoughts onto paper and see what happens. You may be pleasantly surprised at what you achieve both emotionally and artistically. How else do you think some of our favourite musicians have come to write lyrical masterpieces that have blown us away?

I have always had respect for artists that produce their own work especially when it comes to writing lyrics. Nothing is more powerful than someone expressing your words through your own voice for only you know the truth behind each and every word sung. It makes it personal and reminds you, the listener; that you are not the only one in the world feeling these emotions. Having written all their music and lyrics themselves (with the exception of a few) The Corrs are an autobiographical entity of what we have all felt or will be feeling at some point in our lives.

Over a decade and 13 Corrs albums later, I am still in love with their music today. After all, you don’t know where you’re going until you know where you’ve been and I can never forget the many times it gave me strength when I was in a bad place. Music can heal but music also bears the annoying ability to capture a certain time or feeling that you’d rather leave behind. In my case, it is a beautiful reminder of who I was and how far I’ve come.

Of course, there are many other musical influences that I have picked up along the way which I also carry close to my heart. Some of these include the likes of Evanescence, Sarah McLachlan and many more which you will come know in the not too distant future. Music from the ‘90s will always have a special place in my heart. It was almost a surreal time for me and dreamy in ways I can’t quite seem to explain. It may be something to do with having discovered my dreams through a time where I felt there was no escape. The ‘90s was the best musical era for me because introduced me to artists that have influenced the person I am today- and not only this; it has also opened windows to a potential future that I am in the road to discover yet.

Music is a wonderful thing and it can bring to surface feelings you may never have realised you had. It caters for every mood whether it be anger, happiness, jealousy, bitterness, sorrow and of course the feeling of love through its many faces. What’s more is that it can be both incredibly infectious and stimulating-and who would know better than Andrea Corr herself who once shared that: "Music is sexy, music is sensual. And an expression of yourself and that side of you comes out sometimes".

I believe all music has a place somewhere. For music that I dislike may be a source of comfort for somebody else. We all have music that has left a mark in our lives somewhere along the line. For me, it has been The Corrs and although they’ve been off the spotlight for quite some time now, theirs is truly the kind of music that will resonate through the ages and remain timeless in my mind. So-In the words of Shakespeare himself, if music be the food of love... let us play on.

It's time to change, throw out the books and start again

2008-07-13T18:14:00.032+01:00

Hello guys and welcome to Inner Corr!

Here you will be discovering a riveting world of reviews and personal reflections into some of the most influential and timeless elements of entertainment history (well, in my opinion!). These will include reviews on contemporary music as well as an insight into movies, novels, plays, poetry and of course the wonderful world of television. Although the majority of this blog will predominently consist of things I feel most passionately about, I will also be speculating on a wide range of features and topics that interest me along the way.

Now, put on your slippers and settle down with some hot chocolate... for very soon, I will enlighten you with the very first instalment from Inner Corr titled “If music be the food of love, play on.” So... sit back and let me take you on a journey to the very core of entertainment, to the Inner Corr of entertainment. Enjoy!

Contact Inner Corr

2008-07-12T21:38:00.007+01:00

If you would like to contact Inner Corr, please feel free to leave a message in the comments feed below and I will try my best to get back to you as soon as I can.

-Inner Corr