Infinite Music: "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" Soundtrack

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

About a year ago, I rented "The Perks of Being A Wallflower" from the public library.  I liked it so much that I picked up a copy out of the Walmart bin.  Such a great movie.  It is based on a teen novel written by Stephen Chbosky (who also wrote the screenplay and directed, also produced by the same company that did "Ghost World" and "Juno").  My daughter had actually read the novel and loved it.

There are many reasons I love this movie.  First of all, it takes place in Pittsburgh, a city that is beloved to me.  Part of the plot involves the excitement of emerging from the Tunnel into the city.  I have done it many times, and it was exhilerating every time.  Next, it takes place in the time of my youth - the early '90s.  Even though it takes place back then, this is not quite a period piece.  It is kind of timeless.  It could take place at any time.  It is about being a misfit, not really fitting in, and finding friends who give your life some meaning - a theme that many, including me, find resonant.

But what I found most compelling in the movie was the music.  Music was an important part of the book as well.  Charlie (played by Logan Lerman) makes mix tapes for his friends.  I was the music geek who handed  mix tapes to all of my friends, so I can relate.  The book mentions several of these artists like Ride, The Smiths, Nick Drake, and many more artists that I grew up with in the late '80s and early '90s.

I liked the soundtrack so much that I went out to buy it.  Many of these songs play an important part of the story like "Asleep" by The Smiths, "Come On Eileen" by Dexy's Midnight Runners, and, my favorite, "Pearly Dew Drops" by Cocteau Twins.  The Tunnel scene uses "Heroes" by David Bowie in that the song comes on the radio, and they set out on a quest to find out who sings it.  The other songs are a drape over an exquisite movie that creates a sense of nostalgia in me.  "Teenage Riot" by Sonic Youth, which was an anthem in my younger years,   "Temptation" by New Order, one of their earlier pieces, and, also, one of their best, dominated by its electronic beat and Peter Hook's high-end bass, a sound that he created and is much imitated.  Cracker, The Innocence Mission, XTC, and Galaxie 500.  It really is a great soundtrack.

There are additional songs that didn't make it from the movie onto the playlist of the soundtrack that compliment the movie as well - "Counting Backwards" by Throwing Muses, "Araby" by my favorite Austin band, The Reivers, L7, Bongwater...

It is nice to see my era eulogized so nicely, and with some of the better music from my day.  The sense of nostalgia takes me back to those moments.  But that's kind of the poetic point of this picture.

Steampunk Fast & Furious: My Review of "Mad Max: Fury Road"

Tom Hardy & Charlize Theron in "Mad:Max: Fury Road

The title of this review is perhaps the most accurate description of this movie - funky steampunk costumes (or perhaps apocalyptic cyberpunk, to be more exact) all during a fast and furious car chase that lasts the whole movie long!

When I was thirteen, one of the best things about having cable TV was being able to watch "The Road Warrior" over and over again.  This dystopian vision by George Miller and starring Mel Gibson became part of my repertoire growing up along with "Conan the Barbarian", "Beastmaster", and "Krull".  At fifteen, I felt let down by "Beyond Thunderdome", as it lacked the pace of the previous two films.

So you'll imagine my surprise when I saw the trailers for "Mad Max: Fury Road" and learned that George Miller would be taking helm of the fourth installment of the franchise.  The previews were amazing, vivid, the action spectacular.  This is what "Road Warrior" would have looked like if Miller had the technology back then.

The story is never clear on whether this is sequel to the other stories, or if it is just a reboot of the whole concept.  It starts with Max (Tom Hardy as an excellent replacement for Mel Gibson) being captured by a group called the War Boys and being taken to a mighty, stone Citadel ruled by a bloated villain named Imortan Joe (played by Hugh Keays-Byrne, who played the villain in the very first "Mad Max" film).  Joe is some sort of Halloween Warren Jeffs, in that he has super-model wives known at the Five.  As a former polygamist, I had to laugh at the plot, which reads like Carolyn Jessop book.  Charlize Theron plays a tough-as-nails truck driver named Furiosa who spirits the girls away in a chase across the wasteland, aided by Max, a group of old ladies, and a young boy played by the nearly unrecognizable Nicolas Hoult, whom some may remember from "Warm Bodies".  They are chased by the denizens of the desert at high speed velocity.

I suppose I could use this movie as a chance to pontificate on the ills of human trafficking, or even about polygamy.  But this is just not that kind of movie.  This movie is like the most expensive B-movie ever made.  If you try to think too hard about it, you'll hurt your brain.  Like, where do they get car parts?  Or speakers?  Or their outlandish clothing?  No, just go with it.  There is definitely a cheese factor - like the guy perpetually mounted in front of a truck, violently strumming a flaming guitar.  But the other movies were slightly cheesy as well.  I felt like a thirteen year-old boy again.  It was an intense ride from start to finish - like a Monster Truck Rally, like demolition derby meets WWF Wrestling.  The dialogue is sparse and stilted.  The best interaction between the actors is found in shared looks.  All in all, the movie will wow you.  Visually, the film is sweeping and panoramic.  The stunts are brutal and crushingly breathtaking.  I sat on the edge of my seat the whole time.

This movie is definitely worth it, if it is your type of "thing".  I foresee this film becoming a cult classic - just like the originals.  And there are talks of Max returning in a sequel.  I can't wait for the next wild ride...