July 24th was definitely a special day certain people of the world, as that was the day of Life In A Day -
“a historic global experiment to create a user-generated feature film, shot in a single day, by you. On July 24, you have 24 hours to capture a glimpse of your life on camera. The most compelling and distinctive footage will be edited into an experimental documentary film, produced by Ridley Scott and directed by Kevin Macdonald. The film will premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2011 and will be available right here on YouTube. If your footage makes it into the finished film, you’ll be credited as a co-director and you could be one of 20 contributors brought to Sundance to celebrate with Kevin Macdonald.” – YouTube Life In A Day page. Visit http://www.youtube.com/lifeinaday to know more.
I was first noticed this interesting event months ago and started planning what I’d film on the day. My view on making such videos is just, be natural, be myself. I was once decided to film the day of myself’s life for 24 hours – by obviously technical constraints and some little stuffs prevented me to do so.
So what I’ve actually filmed on the day? That was once just another of my normal day, the day that I’ve to work. What I’ve shot is video about myself (just like kinda introduction), during en-routing to work and some bits of my guitar session – that was surely a challenge of my “braveness” to film such kinds of videos.
So lets be finger-crossed in hope of my videos could make into the final film!
Today’s topic I’m gonna to share one of the most influential movie franchise of all time – The Matrix.
I’ve some “strange” preferences when choosing which movie to watch, I always prefer to watch theoretical, philosophical and religious themed films, the other examples of mine are: A.I.: Artificial Intelligence, Japanese anime franchise Neon Genesis Evangelion…
To be honest, like most people, I was originally really attracted to watch this film because I liked Keanu Reeves and its futuristic theme. But once I watch it, up to the end of the first film, I’ve found many unanswered questions: What The Matrix actually is? What’s Zion? Why Neo (Keanu Reeves) is being chosen as “The One”? and What’s that scrolling green texts? And that’s the time I began obsessed in the digital world, nonetheless I would watch the following 2 films and The Animatrix to have a better understanding the theories.
The music of the Matrix is also noteworthy. The soundtrack has brought several Electro big names to the mainstream: Rob Dougan, Juno Reactor, P.O.D., Rage Against the Machine and Marilyn Manson.
I’m a great fan of the Twilight, though I haven’t read any Twilight novels, but I’m surely deep into it’s universe. I’m really loved the story of chained love between a human and a vampire: Bella and Edward – wishing something could happened in reality for me … wait don’t think to much, not for me to be a vampire, I just wanna to have such deep romantic relationships!
Besides the movies themselves, getting into the music behind the movie series is also good for everyone to dive into the Twilight universe. As with the first Twilight movie, New Moon has also released an compilation album featuring tracks that appeared on the movie, apart from the movie score. Both album’s tracks are some handpicked by the Twilight’s author – Stephanie Meyer, with some tracks are written by bands specially for the Twilight movie series. Both albums has helped create hype for the movies, and also help raised attention to the bands contributed to the albums. The last album helped greatly to my favorite band – Paramore, now this time is for Death Cab For Cutie.
The New Moon soundtrack is significantly less tracks from pop or mainstream artists (in my understanding), instead it’s more into the indie-rock scene or darker theme.
This album’s leading track is Meet Me on the Equinox by Death Cab for Cutie, which is written specially for the film by this Grammy nominated indie rock band. Looking into the lyrics I think this track probably about the separation and rare reunion of Bella and Edward – which should be the main storyline of New Moon.
Muse is the only band featured on the Twilight soundtrack again back to New Moon’s tracklisting, but this time is with New Moon original remix of their 2009 track – I Belong to You, in which has stripped the original song’s french lyrics.
The Killers and OK Go‘s contribution are welcomed for me, I really liked both band’s other tracks already and now really enjoying their original song in this New Moon soundtrack. I loves The Killer’s signature vocal and music style as well as OK Go’s use of percussion instruments to create beats.
Apart from these well known acts, I loved those female vocal tracks featured on the Twilight album. For New Moon there’s two female vocal gems Possibility by Lykke Li and Satellite Heart by Anya Marina. These two tracks perhaps are speaking for Bella’s mind, and let me to go into Bella’s world.
Tracklisting of The Twilight Saga: New Moon soundtrack – in according to my rating:
Possibility – Lykke Li
A White Demon Love Song – The Killers
Satellite Heart – Anya Marina
Meet Me on The Equinox – Death Cab for Cutie
I Belong to You (New Moon Remix) – MUSE
Shooting the Moon – OK Go
Slow Life – Grizzly Bear (with Victoria Legrand)
Rosyln – Bon Iver & St. Vincent
Done All Wrong – Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Friends – Band of Skulls
New Moon (The Meadow) – Alexandre Desplat
No Sound But The Wind – Editors
The Violet Hour – Sea Wolf
Monsters – Hurricane Bells
Hearing Damage – Thom Yorke
Now the New Moon movie itself is on screens in the US, I’m really looking forward to watch this movie when it hit the Hong Kong screens on December 17, then I should have a full understanding of this soundtrack.
With my love to Paramore and the fame of Linkin Park, it’s no doubt that my fav tracks of this album would be their songs – Decode, I Caught Myself and Leave Out All The Rest. The inclusion of these tracks did really helped Paramore to get widespread attention and widen their fan base. And for Linkin Park one, I think I really no need to talk much about them right? I think you should already know a lot about them…
Back to the Paramore tracks, as with most tracks in this album, they are original, and thus are written specially for the Twilight movie by Paramore. The track Decode for me I think is about both Edward & Bella: For Edward’s side, of course it’s about he’s powerless to “decode” Bella’s mind. To Bella, I think it’s about she’s trying to “decode” her love or relationship to Edward – her realization of Edward as a vampire.
Perhaps the next track I liked should be the Danish band Blue Foundation‘s Eyes On Fire, this track’s new age theme and the vocal gives me a lot inspirations.
Bella’s Lullaby is a great instrument only track, in the film it depicted as a lullaby written by Edward for Bella, it’s like kinda “tradition” – a lullaby performed by a vampire in front of the victim, before the vampire to “enjoy” the victim.
And don’t pass by a track that’s actually sung by Edward ~ Rob Pattinson, Never Think. I remember this track actually did not appear in the movie, so it’s worth to listen how Rob sings.
Flightless Bird, American Mouth by Iron & Wine is a great love track, I loves it’s melodies but also the lyrics: looking into the lyrics it’s actually kinda poem about the love between a boy and a little bird– a girl.
