Once is a freaking masterpiece. Film at 11.

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So rarely these days when at the cinema do I find myself transported directly into the screen, unaware of my theatrical surroundings. This is a feeling that home video can rarely, if ever, duplicate and I'm forever thankful of the theatrical experience, so we can see films like Once every now and then.

Watching Once, I disappeared into the moment. This is a beautiful film about love that transpires through music and the musicians that communicate their feelings through it. A man (Glen Hansard) is singing some soulful music on the sreet when he meets a woman (Marketa Irglova). They talk and connect. She finds out he fixes vaccum cleaners on his day-to-day, she's married (but only 18 years old) and they both share a passion for music.

In quite possibly the most beautiful moment I have witnessed in a motion picture this year, we watch our two lead characters as they get to know each other in a music shop. One of the many right notes is how director John Carney gets both participants to sing the song "Falling Slowly". In a lesser movie, these two would just start singing in perfect harmony, but the man teaching her the song slowly brings her in, teaches her the notes and then try out the song.

The shots last forever, the framing is loose but simultaneously concentrated and the lyrics speak so deeply about the connection that is about to happen. I felt a small tear dash down my cheek as the two of them ever-so-lightly looked at one another, although Carney didn't linger on those moments. These are the kind of scenes you show people when asked why you love film so much.

These two are connected at this point in each of their lives where they are about to take a next step. For the man, he has deep musical talent and needs to go to London. For the woman, she has a past that she decides to live up to. What's great about the film is that it deals with these problems honestly and the film's finale is unexpected and deeply moving.

Once left Victoria recently but is rumored to be picked up at the Star Cinema and Cinecenta, and I'm hoping anyone out there reading this takes interest in this lovely and unique film.

Also, La Vie en Rose is a mess. A glorious and beautiful mess of a motion picture. This is a good thing, since the life story of Edith Piaf is one of illness, drugs, madness and triumph, and not all in that order. Since Piaf is so all over the map in her life, director Olivier Dahan has told the story in this manner, jumping to and from her childhood, young adult life and all the way until her ragged out death. The film is playing for one final week at the University Cinemas 4.

Jason
efilmcritic.com

I'm an Old Pornographer.

My (exactly) one year long reign of having a photo of mine being the first thing you see when you go to the official site for The New Pornographers has come to an end. What you see above was a photo I decided to take, on a whim, since I was snapping away shots of the concert with my piddling old Fuji cam and wondered what a thousand people behind me looked like. That image was that good enough that the fine folks at the site chose to make it the image of their home, and for all this time I have been thankful.

The changing of graphics is understandable, of course, since the Porno's have to promote their new album entitled "Challengers", yet another blast of joy from the Vancouver-based band that includes the adorable Neko Case, the not-so-adorable Dan Bejar of Destroyer and wacky AC Newman, among others. They're "itchingly fun psycho pop rock", as I like to inaccurately label them, as these guys just defy description. The music is like, sooo damn addictive.

I had been listening to the NP's on and off through the years, but it was the 2005 release of their landmark album, Twin Cinema, that launched my love for this group into the stratosphere. And on the first day of my Vancouver Film Fest vacation that year, I mosied on down to the Commodore Ballroom to see the most wild concert of my life. Not only did I first meet Immaculate Machine followed by a drunk Bejar jam with his group Destroyer at that show, but also witnessed a freakin' TWENTY-EIGHT song blast from the NP's that still rings in my ear as I think of them. I danced, I made a few friends, I perspired like crazy. It was the most perfect night.

And their new album Challengers is amazing. Yes, I've listened to it early, even though the disc is due out in August. It takes some time getting used to, but I've had these songs on constant repeat on the MP3 player ever since it went in there. These guys know what they're doing, and it blows me away that they're still cranking out great music. I'm seeing them TWICE in concert this September, the latter in Vancouver at the Commodore, where Ms. Neko is in attendance once again. I can't wait to groove and dance to "Use It" once again.

Download a free NP's MP3: My Rights Versus Yours

Jason
efilmcritic.com

I am coming to Muchmusic in June!

Well, I'm an extra who's dancing wildly in the background with a group of fellow aged extras, but I am now in a music video. My first music video, and hopefully not the last.

The local recording group Immaculate Machine were back in town to record the video "Jarhand" for their new album entitled "Fables", which streets in early June. Lead singer Kathryn Calder (pictured) is the niece of The New Pornographer's AC Newman, so she has ties to the NP's and has toured with them in the past.

This three-membered band is certainly an up-and-comer. Not only do the ties to the NP's get them a bit more attention, they just returned -- as did I -- from South by Southwest and no doubt they will return for some performances in the future. They play really good indie rock and it's good to hear that their sound is improving with every new song I hear.

But anyway, back to the video shoot. About 20 or so of us met at the Metro Theatre in downtown Victoria to shoot the video for "Jarhand", which is a fun little tune from the group. We were asked to all dance behind the band in the climactic part of the song. About 10 takes were performed and I was getting redder in the face with each one. Which tells me two things...dancing is fun, and good lord is that food from the Alamo Drafthouse is still taking a toll on me. Back to the gym I go!

It will now be my second time on television. The first was when I was interviewed by a local TV network when my sister came to visit for Christmas in 2004. First local TV, next a music video, and then the world!

Tracks available on their site or on their Myspace page: Immaculate Space

Jason
efilmcritic.com

PS. Sorry, no April Fools jokes for today, although Laura's made me laugh.