Monthly Archives: March 2010

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Song of the Day #614: ‘Stranded (Haiti Mon Amour) (Live)’ – Jay Z, Rihanna, Bono & The Edge

So far as I know, the only song performed at the Hope For Haiti Now telethon that was written specifically for the event was ‘Stranded (Haiti Mon Amour).’ It also boasted the star-studded night’s star-studdiest lineup, with Jay-Z joined by Rihanna and U2’s Bono and The Edge.

Now there’s a collection of people I never would have guessed I’d see on the same stage. Rihanna and Jay-Z have been frequent collaborators, of course, but U2 has never been mistaken for a rap act (despite The Edge’s spoken-word vocal performance of ‘Numb‘).

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Song of the Day #613: ‘Lift Me Up (Live)’ – Christina Aguilera

Christina Aguilera’s appearance at the Hope For Haiti Now telethon may well be my favorite of all. It’s a lovely song (from her upcoming album, I believe) and one of the most breathtaking vocal performances of the night.

I’ve always been impressed with Aguilera as a vocalist. She pretty much blows all of her peers away and does it seemingly without trying. It’s hard to believe such a big voice belongs to a skinny white girl.

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Broken Embraces

Pedro Almodovar is one of my very favorite filmmakers and every time I see one of his movies I’m reminded why. In fact, seeing his movies usually instills in me the desire to see nothing else but his movies. As a director, he has such a precise command of composition, color, pacing and performance; as a writer, he is romantic, funny and deep.

Broken Embraces isn’t the best film Almodovar has made in the past decade or so (I’d reserve that honor for Bad Education, with Talk to Her and Volver right behind) but it’s very much in the vein of his recent masterworks. I can’t think of another auteur on as much of a roll.

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In the Loop

This film, directed by Armando Iannucci and based on a BBC TV show, came and went quickly last year but left a trail of great reviews. It earned a surprise screenplay nomination at the Oscars and, with any luck, will earn a following on DVD.

It’s a quick-witted, biting satire about governmental bureaucracy that details a budding war in the Middle East, a collaboration between the British Prime Minister and the President of the United States.

Any resemblance to actual events is… kind of the point.

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The Invention of Lying

Ricky Gervais isn’t the first guy who comes to mind when you think of male leads in a romantic comedy, which is one of the charms of The Invention of Lying, a clever film in which he woos Jennifer Garner. The conceit of the film, which Gervais co-wrote and co-directed with Matthew Robinson, is a world in which nobody can tell a lie… until Mark Bellison (Gervais) somehow stumbles upon the ability.

The film is smart and funny but it tries to be too many things at once and winds up settling on the least interesting one.

It starts out as a caustically comic exploration of a world where people tell only the truth. Opening the door to meet her blind date, Garner’s character says “Hi, you’re early. You interrupted me masturbating.” “Now I’m thinking about your vagina,” Gervais replies. “I hope this date ends in sex.” “That won’t happen,” she responds, “I find you physically unattractive.” Talk about meeting cute!

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