JPF Home Page Forums General Messages Songwriter Message Forum Who wants to make $40? (Discussion of movie "Once")

I will pay $20 to the first forum member in the continental United States to watch and rate "ONCE" on this thread, according to this scale:
1) Hated it
2) Didn't like it
3) Liked it
4) Really liked it
5) Loved it
6) Greatest film for songwriters I've ever seen

AND

another $20 to the first person to stimulate open discussion on this thread of that film's merits.

This offer is void if prohibited by forum rules.

Richard Stringfellow

I'll go to see it because I truly enjoyed the movie "The Commitments". (A friend of mine played in that band in real life for a short time before coming to the States.)
I'm expecting it to be a chick-flick with lots of accoustic duets.

Why do you care?

Yep, you DO seemed rather obsessed with this film for some reason.

I'm lonely.

Take me to the movie.

You can take me as long as we do not have to kiss and hold hands.

And there I was thinking he wanted to pay for a soft target hit

I wish I knew what that meant.

Watch the movie and you'll find out.

The Commitments is one of my all time fav movies. Greatest film for band members I have ever seen.
If this is half as good then it scores a six.
Now how do I get my $40?

I have not seen the movie but, prior to thids post going up, I chased links to it from one of the previous posts Dick put up, and had decided to see if it is available on DVD next time I go to town because necause the music I heard was to my liking, and it appears to be shot very well.
So, all up. I expect to enjoy the movie.
Given the fervour Dick seems to have for this movie. I am at a loss to understand why he has not done a review of it and posted that, instead of offering a prize for the best review submitted.
Reminds me of my clients in the days I spent as a literary slut when I used to write anything for a quid.
That, and reading the calibre of Dick's posts so far, does not suggest he is a strapped for words at the moment critic.
Probably just someone who identifies with the film, but lacks the skills required to express what he feels.
That said. I am still going to see if I can find the movie as it does indeed look like a good one, and I heard enough of the music to know if the film doesn't live up to expectation, I will enjoy the music.
I am glad Dick brought this film to our attention, for whatever reason, as there are not a lot of good movies being made these days, and this one looks like it is with a chance of being money well spent.
Speaking of money I do this for fun these days so don't send me my prize Dick.
I'll go away now.
For the moment.
Graham

The executive producer/male lead backed out shortly before shooting was to begin. The writer found financial backing, put up some money himself, and persuaded the film's song writer to take the male lead opposite a friend of his who had never acted before.
The crew was cut to seven, the film was shot in seventeen days (for $80K), and the songs were still being written half-way through.

I recommend the film for its superior songwriting. And because, for all its foibles, it may very well be the greatest music film of our time.

It isn't available here on video so they have my number for when it is, and I will watch the coming attractions at the picture house for it.
Graham

I have read some folk's opinion of it and it has gotten rave reviews: http://www.fenderforum.com/forum.html?db=&topic_number=657679

Everything I read about it was good

It's gotten mixed reviews on IMDB.. which would be an indicator of how it is playing outside of music industry types. It has a high rating, but some brutal attacks on their message boards. Are you getting paid to promote the movie Richard? Or do you have some connection to it beyond being a fan wanting to pay money to people to talk about it? I guess it worked in that people are responding here, but I think you could have done that with less suspicion by just bringing up the topic. What I don't understand is how are people supposed to actuall see the movie? It is posted on line somewhere?

Brian

Its available on DVD. I bought my copy at Borders. I am not getting paid to promote it. I have no more connection to the movie than you do, other than I've seen it. I did bring up the topic - on a thread with a "ONCE" subject field. It sputtered and died.

I offered money to try to get people to see it. The movie had a profound impact on me, and I would prefer to think I am not singular in that respect.

I must say, I consider your suspicion unwarranted effrontery. It's unusual to be given something with no strings attached, I'll grant. And quite natural to ascribe one's own motives to another's behavior.
That the protagonist writes songs, that these songs awaken strong emotions, and that this is a songwriting forum might satisfactorily explain my motives. Aside from that, it's about as real a movie as you'll ever see.

Do not know if I am allowed to advertise but the dvd is available from
http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809834062/dvdinfo

I will be ordering a copy to see what all the fuss is about.

I saw it. Loved it. Bought it, saw it again.

I give it a 6.

Oh, and PayPal works... ;-)

Damn! it feels good to be a gangsta.

I saw it at a local art-house theater months ago. My wife bought the soundtrack months ago. I saw it yesterday at Costco for seventeen bucks and took it home and watched it last night.

Check your local Costco (they're everywhere, aren't they?) and you'll probably find a copy.

BTW, Richard already made good on the $20 offer.

Love to all,
Ken

If you want to have fun and hear some great playing at the same time, click the link on Ken's profile and check out some samples of his music.

4) Really liked it

I couldn't give it a 5 or 6 because it didn't move me to the extent that I could extol the "greatest" on it.

It is a great film, definitely worthy of 86 minutes of your life. The story line is touching; romantic with a twist and a sublime if not happy ending. The music is wonderful. Glen is a talented writer and he and Marketa blend beautifully. This is a story about the music and you get to hear the full songs rather than just snippets and excerpts. The acting is good, not perfect, but good. The staging and cinemetography is also quite good.

So - my reasoning for not labeling it great? The music, the most compelling reason for loving the film, is possibly the biggest drawback to the film. The entire story unfolds as a Glen Hasard ballad. Beautiful, touching, sighing, smiling, crying ... But as good as it is, an 86 minute ballad will rarely continually move you. If you don't absolutely fall in love with the music, you won't fall in love with the movie.

But you don't have to fall in love to have a good time with a friend. This movie can still be a good friend.

Watch it.

Hey Marty good crit cannot wait to see it.

Great review, Marty. What film for songwriters do you like better?

I thought about that before not giving the film a "6". I think the "greatest film for songwriters I've ever seen" would have to be one that inspires me to sit down and write. This didn't do that, I just enjoyed the story and the listen. But off the top of my head, I can't think of a great movie about songwriting or one that I would call a must see for songwriters. There have been plenty of films about performers who also wrote songs, but mostly these were about the personalities and their addictions - not about songwriting.

The most inspirational thing I've seen in a movie recently is this dialogue between Gandalph and Frodo in The Fellowship of the Ring:
FRODO - I wish none of this had happened.
GANDALF - So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.

I see that the stars of "ONCE", Glen Hansard and Merketa Irglova, will perform a song from the movie at the Oscars tonight, as it has been nominated for an Academy Award.

I thought it was a very nice movie. It was extremely accurate across the board of a few days in the life of typical songwriters and recording artists. It had a nice personal story of two people crossing like ships in the night for a brief but warm and fuzzy time. I had experiences like that in my life combined with music and it made me reminisce about those. It was really just a tiny character study.. certainly no epic or earth shattering story.. but it was very true and that's a big accomplishment in any film. I really enjoyed it and would give it a 9 out of 10. Compare it to trash like "Music and Lyrics" and you'll appreciate it all the more.

Thanks for pointing it out Richard. I may not have noticed it as quickly without your post.

Did you ever give away that $40 dollars?

Brian

Sort of. Mr Sager earned the first $20 but didn't want to hold me to it. I went to his web site and bought two copies of his CD. But he sent three. The CD is surprisingly good. He asked me what I thought of it, and I sent him a review/critique. I wanted to post it on JPF, but had trouble finding a suitable board. He's a very talented composer and musician.
Concerning the other $20, the sort of open discussion I had hoped for hasn't materialized. Thank you, though, for taking time to watch it.

Congratulations to Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova for taking home Oscars for Best Original Song ("Falling Slowly"). If not the best song in the movie, certainly the moment the viewer first realizes he's witnessing something extraordinary.

It was nice they let her come back out and make her comments after cutting her off. They hadn't run out of time, the band simply screwed up and thought they were done. It was nice to hear the indie music community being recognized.. something all of us out here should be proud of that the sheer power of a true little story told with sincerity featuring songs played in their entirety (rare even for a musical) won against the heavily crafted onslaught of long time studio writers. I actually thought the first Menken song from Everlasting was excellent though it certainly was a little derivative. And as Oscars go, the 5 nominess (well. 4 of 5.. one of the Menken songs was a bit weak) we much better than some of previous years. After seeing JPF Award nominee Bird York perform a couple years ago and now some real life indie artists actually winning, I think it just illustrates even more how important it is for artists in the next generation to work with other media to get their music out there. Corporations and the completely lawlessness of the Internet has ruined the traditional means to make a living from music, so switching to film and video projects and other multi media stuff is probably the most logical focus.

I was really glad to see the win tonight. Made me feel very good just as the film did. It was an honest moment in a jaded industry.

Brian

The reason the discussion wasn't more active was the title which made it sound like some internet scam rather than a discussion about the film, so I at least added the film title so folks might actually be inclined to read it and since then, the views have picked up a lot.

Brian

Thanks, Brian.

Saw the movie with the family because of rave reviews here. Was not disappointed...bought the soundtrack, and it's ok too.

Would rate the soundtrack a good solid 7 and the movie, as Brian says, a good 9.....(so a 5 on your scale)just based on her walking the vacuum cleaner home

Hmmm... it sure does appear that I thanked you BEFORE the Oscars Richard. Guess you're venom was off the mark once again.

Brian

L

Finally got to watch this the day it became available down here, and quite enjoyed it.
A little bit too formular write for my taste, and a couple of times I wondered about the dialouge actually fitting the male charictor, but all up I enjoyed it.
Graham

Finally got to watch this the day it became available down here, and quite enjoyed it.
A little bit too formular write for my taste, and a couple of times I wondered about the dialouge actually fitting the male charictor, but all up I enjoyed it.
Graham

Nice to see you again, Graham.

Brilliant idea Brian:-)

Midnite

Meant to post this link before - my friend Mark Schwaber had a chance to interview Marketa last year.

http://blog.masslive.com/feedback/2007/08/interview_with_marketa_irglova.html