"Only the dead have seen the end of war... "

You know how normally you go to a movie to escape reality? The movie Brothers is no escape. It is incredibly heart wrenching, profound, complicated, violent and in a word, real.

And that is why you should go see it.

The tension between father and son (and father and daughter) is portrayed so vividly that I squirmed in my chair in the uncomfortable and pregnant silences. I have to admit I went to see this movie because I saw the trailer months ago and got goosebumps because they featured Bad by U2. That song brings so much emotion with it, and then to know Jim Sheridan was involved, well I knew it was a must see. Winter, a song soon to be nominated for an Oscar, is perfect in this movie and puts an end to the movie that left me breathless.

There were some firsts for me at the theatre last night...it is the first time I have seen the cops arrest someone at a theatre. Then, because I was about 1/2 an hour early, I was killing time in the lobby when security dragged another person from a theatre, all this drama and the previews hadn't even rolled.

During the movie, another first, a lady sitting behind us bolted from the theatre in tears, horrified. There is considerable violence in this movie...emotional and physical violence . One scene in particular, the one that had that lady running for the door clutching her tummy and sobbing, depicts a marine trying to get back to his family at any cost. The cost might be to dear.




The Brothers motif could have been reinforced with a few scenes from their past which would have made me connect to them as brothers. As it is, the sibling relationship does not develop fully or resonate the way I think Sheridan really wanted it to. I think that he almost had it because Tommy, Jake Gyllenhaal, tells the children about a time when he saved his brother from the river...this would have worked well if there had been one extra scene depicting that for recall later in the movie when the troubled Tommy has to wade into metaphorical waters and save him from drowning again. I wish that had been developed more.

The movie sort of falls short on dialogue...and doesn't really gel because it left me empty at the end and wondering a bit what was the point. BUT, the performances are spectacular and I hope they get oscar nods. Toby Maguire as Cpt. Sam Cahill is one scary mofo but the script lets him down I think. Bailee Madison, as the oldest of Sam's 2 daughters is so riveting I think we may see a lot of this young actor. She managed to show us the emotions behind her emotions on screen. Incredible. Really incredible.

So go see this movie for the U2 songs and for the performances and prepared to be assaulted by some real people in real situations with real problems. There is no fantasy here. It is raw and will leave you in the same state.

For the U2 nerds like me: Bad is the version off Wide Awake In America with additional lyrics "Come On Down", at the end. Winter is a different version than the one used in Anton Corbijn's movie Linear. The soundtrack version of Winter has more piano it, no strings and really captures the films rawness. But you have all heard it already this week so you already know. Go see the movie and then tell me which version you like better.

Song Du Jour: U2's Bad (Wide Awake in America version) live in 1985:

You Tube
Lyrics

Photo: Tobey Maguire and Jake Gyllenhaal in Brothers Photo belongs to all rights reserved: Lionsgate

"I was born to sing for you, I didn’t have a choice, to lift you up"

My 2009 CONCERT SEASON

I honestly think that our broken economy was brought back to life with a "b-zolt" from the Modern Rock Defribulator! The sheer number of concerts and all the amazing bands who toured this year must have had some impact. I could barely keep up and even though I saw Blink 182 and Green Day for free (Thanks Sonic 102.9 and Veronica and Clint)--like a pumpkin on the street come Nov. 1st I smashed my concert budget wide open this year.

Here is my Top 10 list of concerts from 2009. This was THE busiest freaking concert season so many of the peeps I saw didn't even get on the list. I missed No Doubt and Moby...but I imagine they'd be on this list if I had gone. Sad I missed out.

1. October u2 360 Las Vegas (BEP) - GA for the first time - nothing compares.

2. June 18 Coldplay (Snow Patrol) - almost as good as a U2 concert! And Snow patrol were great too. I have waited a long time to see these 2 bands...incredible show...The Hardest Part made me tear up...
3. August 12 Kings of Leon (The Whigs) HOLY CRAP this was a great show!

4. August 14 Silversun Pickups (Manchester Orchestra and Cage the Elephant) Just go see them.

5. Sept 5 - Sonic Boom Franz Ferdinand Taking Back Sunday, Metric, Billy Talent, Alexisonfire, Girl Talk, IllScarlett, The Wet Secrets, uss Special shout out to Ill Scarlet here...they blew me away! They alone were wicked! (I saw them again at the Starlite room with USS and they can get a crowd moving in a way that is incredible)

6. August 29 Oasis (Ryan Adams & The Cardinals)
7. Sept. 26 Gaslight Anthem, althought I hate, hate that venue...grumble, grumble...)

8. April 27 The Killers (Wild Light)

9. March 13 - Faunts

10. July 6 Green Day (Bravery) The Bravery sucked live which broke my heart, I am hoping they will tour again and come back and redeem themselves. Got to see soundcheck with GD!

Honourable mention: July 31 Blink 182 (FOB) (because it was a great show and Travis Barker...amazing, I am surprised they are on this list too by the way, the energy was amazing at the concert I got all caught up.)

The worst concert: The award for most disappointing goes to Stone Temple Pilots...and I was soooo excited to see them, they were not excited to be here. or be on the road, or be on the stage and you could tell. Love their music. Sad their energy was so lackluster

Song Du Jour: Catch and Release By Silversun Pickups.
Swoon was my 2nd favourite Album of 2009 after No Line on The Horizon By U2
Concerts already booked for 2010:
Tegan and Sarah in January. Vampire Weekend, Muse & Silversun Pickups in March! U2 x3 in June and July, you'll only understand if you've seen them live, and Sasquatch! I can hardly wait!

"...20 minutes in that shop defined our sound as a band..." Mr. The Edge

I went to see the movie It Might Get Loud last night and, like every other motion picture I have watched at the Princess, I loved it! You are instantly transformed into voyeur and you get to delve into the lives that created Rock Gods.

You get to revisit places with them, see the look on their faces as they walk the halls they once recorded in...see the place where they laid down the tracks that changed music. The Jack White "together at different ages" was odd, but whatever. Getting to hear them all play together was riveting.

As a music fan I loved the discussion about hand made guitars (Jack White is officially the MacGyver of guitars) and getting to see the first guitars these gentlemen owned was very compelling because it showed that genius comes from any little spark.


As a U2 fan (obsessed sans frontiers) this movie takes you into the magic world of Mr. The Edge and his own obsession with music. There is sweet video of The Hype performing Street Mission and it is pretty classic and hilarious, I wasn't the only one who laughed out loud. Larry, drumming in a Red Jacket, looking about 12 years old is worth the price of admission. The fashion the Hype are sporting is just flamboyant enough to distract from the look of terror in their eyes as they perform, giving it their all.

This movie proved to me that even if you are not really sure --you should just follow your instincts. What if Jimmy Page had not broken away from session guitar playing to follow his own sound. What if the Edge has become a banker and didn't pursue whether or not he was a songwriter.
That he asked that question....that to me was a brilliant part of this movie. The Edge's insight into Sunday Bloody Sunday and what it took to write that song was like getting a peek behind the emotion that resonates in that song, to catch a view of what he was like at that age in a time of war in Ireland.

At one point he is at a kitchen table rooting through old cassettes and crams one in to a 1960 style tape player and out bubbles the creative genius behind Streets. I loved the whimsical look on his face when he recognizes what it is. The old recording is edited incredibly well with concert footage; Flash forward to the Elevation tour and Streets in concert, the crowd giving it back to them. Having just experienced being on the floor of a U2 concert for Streets I got goosebumps watching that crowd bounce in unison and the power of that riff...the sheer power of rock and roll.

If you have no idea what I mean about the power of a rock song then this movie is not for you.

If you have ever been to a gig and felt something in your soul crack wide open when that guitar plays then -- go see this movie! I mean now. GO. What are you still reading for, go! Off with you..look up the time the movie starts and just go! If you are in Edmonton it plays at The Princess 6:50 and 9 p.m.

Song Du Jour: U2 - Sunday Bloody Sunday (The Edge) - Live Popmart Santiago