Broken Tunes

I watched another two movies recently, and they are, “Music and Lyrics” and “300”. Both are very good shows, and I highly recommend both of them.

For “Music and Lyrics”, the show is sweet, but I cannot help but think its a little cliché. The whole idea of “boy meets girl, girl helps boy, boy likes girl, girl realizes that she likes boys too” seems all too “overdone”.

So, what makes this movie so special? The combination of Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore was interactive. The scenes were funny and yet at the same time attempted to tug at the heart strings.

The songs that they sung in the movie were pretty good. Hugh Grant voice was surprisingly good. Drew Barrymore was all choked up with emotion. So the following conversion took place

Hugh Grant: Way back into love, take one.

Drew Barrymore: Oh god. I’m getting really nervous.

Hugh Grant: You’ll be fine. Just use your normal nice voice I’ve heard so much over the past 3 days.

Drew Barrymore: It’s like my throat is closing up. Like it’s anaphylactic. *chokes*

Hugh Grant: It’s fine. It’s just a three minute song.

Drew Barrymore starts singing.

Hugh Grant stops the music.

Hugh Grant: Just a little bit louder. Cause this song is intended for humans okay. Way back into love, take two.

And the song, Way back into love, which my girlfriend happen to go crazy over, goes like this:

Girl:

I've been living with a shadow overhead

I've been sleeping with a cloud above my bed
I've been lonely for so long
Trapped in the past, I just can't seem to move on

Boy:

I've been hiding all my hopes and dreams away
Just in case I ever need em again someday
I've been setting aside time
To clear a little space in the corners of my mind

Chorus: [Both]
All I want to do is find a way back into love
I can't make it through without a way back into love
Oh oh oh

Girl:

I've been watching but the stars refuse to shine
I've been searching but I just don't see the signs
I know that it's out there
There's got to be something for my soul somewhere

Boy:

I've been looking for someone to shed some light
Not just somebody just to get me through the night
I could use some direction
And I'm open to your suggestions

Chorus: [Both]
All I want to do is find a way back into love
I can't make it through without a way back into love
And if I open my heart again
I guess I'm hoping you'll be there for me in the end

Girl:
There are moments when I don't know if it's real
Or if anybody feels the way I feel
I need inspiration
Not just another negotiation

Both:
All I want to do is find a way back into love
I can't make it through without a way back into love
And if I open my heart to you
I'm hoping you'll show me what to do

And if you help me to start again
You know that I'll be there for you in the end

And the song that Hugh Grant’s character wrote for Drew Barrymore’s character near the end of the show. Which I happen to like very much, “Don’t write me off just yet”.

It's never been easy for me
to find the words to go along with the melody
But this time there's actually something on my mind
so please forgive these few brave awkward lines
since I met you my whole life has changed
It's not just my furniture you've rearranged
I was living in the past but somehow you've brought me back
and I haven't felt like this since before Frankie said "Relax"
And now I know based on my track record

I might not seem the safest bet
All I'm asking you is don't write me off just yet

For years I've been telling myself the same old story
that I'm happy to live off my so-called former glories
But you've given me a reason to take another chance
now I need you despite the fact that you've killed all my plants
And now I know I've already blown more chances

than anyone should ever get
All I'm asking you is don't write me off just yet
Don't write me off just yet

It’s a gentle song, with cute lines, with very nice melody.

And, the verdict, 4 out of 5 stars, with high emphasis on couples to go and watch this show.

And now, for the show that has me going crazy, 300.

The actors and characters first. Gerald Butler. First saw him on “Phantom of the Opera” which also happens to be shown on Channel 5 tonight at 6.45pm. Anyway, in this show, Butler plays Spartan King Leonidas. His acting was superb. I am beginning to believe that British has very good actors, like Jeremy Irons, Johnny Depp, with his slang, and of course, Butler.

In the Phantom of the Opera, Butler had to sing his own songs, and in the whole production, Gerald Butler, or the Phantom had only 14 spoken lines. The rest of his lines were sung.

And, in 300, Gerald Butler shouted most of his lines. Most of them are one-liners. Powerful, inspiring one-liners such as,

(This is my favourite part. Spouting all the quotes from my favourite shows. Heh)

“You bring the crowns and heads of conquered kings to my city steps. You insult my queen and threaten my people with slavery and death”

“Madness? This is Sparta!”

“This is where we fight! This is where they die!”

“Give them nothing! But take from them everything!”

“Spartans! Eat hearty, for tonight we dine in Hell!”

“A new age has come, an age of freedom. And all will know that 300 Spartans gave their last breath to defend it.”

“We Spartans have descended from Hercules himself. Taught never to retreat, never to surrender. Taught that death in the battlefield is the greatest glory he could achieve in his life. Spartans: the finest soldiers the world has ever known.”

“No retreat, no surrender. That is Spartan Law. And by Spartan Law, we will stand and fight. And die.”

In the Battle of Thermopylae of 480 BC, an alliance of Greek city-states fought the invading Persian army in the mountain pass of Thermopylae. Vastly outnumbered, the Greeks held back the enemy in one of the most famous last stands of history. Persian King Xerxes lead an army of well over 100,000 men to Greece and was confronted by 300 Spartans. The battle lasted for about 3 days and after which all 300 Spartans were killed. The Spartan defeat was not the one expected as a local shepherd named Ephialtes defected to the Persians and informed Xerxes of a separate path through Thermopylae, which the Persians could use to outflank the Greeks. Even after knowing the betrayal, King Leonidas told Ephialtes, “I hope you live forever”. And of course the traitor felt bad. At the end of the show, King Leonidas had the chance to kill Persian King Xerxes. But he didn’t. All he needed to do was to show that even a divine God-King can also bleed.

And the ranking, 5 out of 5 stars, a definite must-see.

posted by Terrence @ 2:34 PM