Fun and comprehensive entertainment blog feat. movies, TV series, actors, movie-makers, music & books: 1980 - Present
Some people are multi-talented and well, it’s annoying. While us the normal folks struggle our way through a karaoke song, they can act and SING (and/or make music). I mentioned Jon Bon Jovi, Kevin Bacon and Keanu Reeves in my previous post. Now it’s time to talk about John Travolta and Bruce Willis.
BRUCE WILLIS
Maybe I shouldn’t write much about his acting skills and how popular his movies are. I should just name a couple of his movies. Die Hard, Pulp Fiction, 12 Monkeys, The Sixth Sense, The Whole Nine Yards. But to top all that, he can sing. He seriously has a really cool rocknroll voice. He can also play the harmonica. Back when Jon Bon Jovi was doing his solo album Destination anywhere in 1997, he shot a short film in which Demi Moore starred. Back then Demi and Bruce were still married and Jon became good friends with them both. So we know that Jon can sing, play the guitar and the piano. Bruce can sing and play the harmonica. Jon always talks about what a blast they had singing and playing all the time. Jon Bon Jovi and Bruce Willis partying together…That’s sight I wish I could see. He is so much fun. Oh, I almost forgot. His nickname is Bruno. And here is a song from him:
[pro-player width=’530′ height=’253′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDXkd2NyCCE[/pro-player]
JOHN TRAVOLTA
Now with John, things are a bit more complicated. He made it big in movies with Saturday Night Fever, where he showed all his disco dancing skills. Then he played in Grease, which became even a bigger hit. And we already knew h was a talented singer and a dancer. Of course when you play in such big hits consecutively when you are 23 and 24, your later movies aren’t likely to be just as successful. But he did manage to make two comebacks. One with Look Who’s Talking in the late 80s and one with Pulp Fiction in 1994. Acting always came first for him but since his most popular movie has him singing, people don’t have trouble taking him seriously as a singer. I mention Grease as his most popular flick, because it is what put on the map, the DVDs still sell 31 years later and it has been known my generations. Bu t I like his bad guy roles even more. I know it is a weird way to compliment someone but I mean it affectionately: he makes a wonderful psycho. Broken Arrow, anyone? Half of Face Off?
Remember a time when John was young and skinny?
[pro-player width=’530′ height=’253′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4n0la_k-DU[/pro-player]
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Dogstar vs BON JOVI & KEANU REEVES vs Jon Bon Jovi
Do you know Dogstar? Keanu Reeves played the bass and toured with the band for 11 years. The band was founded in 1991 and broke up in 2002. But Keanu has been in movies since 1985.
Dogstar even has a picture with Bon Jovi, at the backstage of a concert where the band performed as the supporting act. And how many of you think Jon Bon Jovi as an actor? Sure, he has done some interesting films like The Leading Man and Little City but to most people, he is a rocker, a musician, the frontman of his band Bon Jovi. Keanu Reeves always remained as an actor who liked to play bass and play rocker in his free time to his fans and the name Jon Bon Jovi can sell shitloads of concert tickets but it ain’t that strong when it comes to box office.
KEVIN BACON vs The Bacon Brothers
Kevin Bacon has a band called The Bacon Brothers where he plays with his brother Michael. They have 3 albums but I didn’t even have a clue before I watched a special on the actor’s life. His movies? His movies are good. He is a theater trained actor who can play the good guys (Footloose, a classic dance movie) but thanks to Hollywood, he made a name for himself as the actor who best plays the bad guys. He has played good guys (Footloose, She’s Having a Baby, wrongly convicted and/or sexually molested prisoners (Murder in the First, Sleepers), kidnappers , murderers…the list goes on. You probably heard of Mystic River, JFK, A Few Good Men, Flatliners, Stir of Echoes… Did you by any chance get a hold of his albums? I actually heard him play during that show about his life. He sings and he is good. But it is OK. I know quite a lot of singers with great voices. But I think Kevin Bacon is a uniquely talented actor. I for one am glad he stuck with his acting career.
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How do get over break-ups? I don’t like to get upset. Sure, it is mostly disappointing but usually I end up feeling angry rather than sad. If it is over, there is a probably a good reason for it – whether you were the one to break it off or not. In fact some songs are so fun, I use them to party after a relationship’s end. Remember, if it was good enough, it would last anyway. So, let’s party:
1) Ugly Kid Joe: (I hate) everything about you.
video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDfIOr1ByIc&feature=fvst
The title says it all, doesn’t it? Even if you don’t feel hate, you will have a blast with this song.
2) Metallica: Die,die my darling
Yeah, it is a very affectionate song :d
video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GIisWJJG28
3) Puddle of Mud: She fucking hates me.
Fun, fun and more fun.
video: http://www.youtube.com/watchv=1jlmpsV4xnA&feature=related
4) Bon Jovi : Little Bit of Soul
This is from the Keep the Faith album. It’s fun, easy to sing along to and instead of addressing it to the other person, you should address it to yourself. Because it says stuff like:
When you’re mad at the world
And you feel like
You’re losing control
What we all need
To get by is just
A little bit o soul
5) Bon Jovi: You give love a bad name.
So you are angry? You think your ex shouldn’t be dating at all? Cool. This one never gets old. Below is live version.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=km4wBCrFl1E
Feel free to share your top 5 and more.
I love rock n’ roll musicians. Not all of them of course. I have certain favorites, role models guys whose music I love and whose egos I hate….I have grown up with some. And it is no secret that I love movies so this post was, well, inevitable.
There have been a lot of movies based on rockstars or movies that have characters who happen to be rockstars. Below are my fav. portrayals.
1) The Crow– Eric Draven, by Brandon Lee (1994)
What and who else could I talk about first?
The character of Eric Draven is everything that we the rock fans- and especially the female rock fans idolize : A handsome young rocker. A passionate yet compassionate lover. A guy you can laugh with. A guy you can share everything with. He is romantic and he is loyal. He is The One. Did I mention he has this amazing voice when he speaks and plays electric guitar and looks freaking good in leather?
But amazingly, this is not what Eric is all about. When he loses his fiancée Shelly, and he himself is also killed by the psychotic gang, he comes back from the dead. To avenge her. As he kills the gang members one by one, all he can think of is Shelly and when he can go back to her. Every memory haunts him. He is not just a rock star. He is a former rock star who comes back as an undead avenger. The message is that real love is more powerful than anything and it lasts forever.
He is the guy who takes his revenge in black leather clothes, white/black clownish/KISS type of make-up and plays his guitar on a rooftop. He is a lone rider. His pain and his love make the storypowerful; and Brandon Lee unforgettable.
I don’t care what movies he played in before. He is Eric Draven. And always will be.
Guitar Solo Scene of Eric Draven:
[pro-player width=’530′ height=’253′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aeFkJvgnbk[/pro-player]
2) The Doors- Jim Morrison by Val Kilmer (1991)
This movie is not exactly my cup of tea. I don’t like Oliver Stone. Although I like some of The Doors’ classics. I don’t like Morrison as a personality. I don’t get him. I don’t think many people do either. But Val Kilmer’s performance is pure brilliance. He is a fantastic actor. He can be outstanding in almost any role, in a movie of any genre. He can do shallow, he can do deep. He can do psychotic, complicated, romantic, funny… you name it. He is a good actor. But with The Doors, even I was surprised. It is hard to portray a celebrity whose voice, face and attitude are so well-known. How do you convince people that you are Jim Morrison? Well, if you genuinely look like him and sound like him and are one of the best actors of your generation- and are old enough to have existed in the era where Jimmy became a cult, well- voila-you can pull it off. Val Kilmer was so…Jim Morrison.Val even sang his vocals!
As for the appearance:
3) Rent- Roger Davis by Adam Pascal (2005)
Rent is a famous, sold-out rock musical that has been staged on broadway. Of course a movie version had to be made. I am not being sarcastic here. I love rock and I love movies- combine it right and the result will rock. The concept is simple. A close-knit of friends/neighbors dealing with broken dreams, poverty, trade off between the good life and the selling of your soul, diseases, drugs and relationships.
Roger is a rocker. Let’s say he is a former leading man/guitarist. His world and faith in love have been shattered when he has lost his girlfriend to OD (and AIDS). Roger also has HIV and is barely scraping by with his best mate/roommate.
Roger has all the right ingredients of a sexy rocker: He is hot with longish blonde hair, sexy voice, handsome face. He wears jeans and shirts and leather. He also look a little like Jon Bon Jovi– which is never a bad thing in my book. He is a good actor and an awfully talented singer. He is so good, I will be disappointed if he doesn’t have his own band in real life.
His character is fictional on the surface. Truth is, Roger is not about one person. He reflects the lifestyle of a lot of 90s musicians. See Rent. But please stay away if you don’t like rock music. It’s not gonna ring well in your ears…
Videos from Rent the movie:
[pro-player width=’530′ height=’253′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkScM71Pngc[/pro-player]
*For the second video, Adam’s part begins right in the middle)
[pro-player width=’530′ height=’253′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TOQxSvA_zs&feature=related[/pro-player]
P.S. You know you tube videos can be replaced and removed.So if a video doesn’t work, just let me know.
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Movies: Best of Lovers Taking Revenge
On Val Kilmer:
And:
Movies with Awesome Soundtracks
