When music and movies collide…
Here is the scenario. You are all alone, snuggled up in bed with your TV on. You are watching an absolutely brilliant film but then something rather fantastic happens. Two of the most magical and awe inspiring inventions in the world collide to bring you an ensemble of music and film that make your arrectores pilorum (the tiny muscles around each hair follicle on your body ) contract, whichblankets your body in Goosebumps! Oh yes, how we have all had these fantastical moments that bring those shy tears to your eyes whether you are a delicate fragile man, or a beefcake of a woman. Your emotions can only just handle it because it’s that mind bogglingly tremendous.
This is the EPIC COUNT DOWN of AMERICAN Musicians featured in Box-Office movies!
5. – Hot Rod 2007 – Queens of the Stone Age
This is the kind of film that gets funnier and funnier the more you watch it over and over. It is about an amateur stunt man who is useless at what he does. It’s an acquired taste, similar to a fine wine, or a fungus that grows on you eventually. I’m not going to lie, I didn’t know what to make of it at first simply because it is so random… and jam-packed full of geeky references that the average person wouldn’t know. But if you are a fellow geek, then you’ll be just fine with this film. But the extra-special bit comes towards the end of this feature film when the QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE are disguised as a glam rock band called ‘Gown’ that are playing at the final jump event. You really wouldn’t recognise them, but if you’re a QUOTSA buff then you will identify these Californians immediately. It’s absolutely hilarious and completely overdramatic but it somehow manages to raise a few neck hairs. The track they play is somewhat different to their usual vibe, with bourgeois lyrics, and your generic everyday metal guitar solo, but it is brilliant because it’s the Queens of The Stone Age playing at being the ultimate 1970’s stilton cheese!
Goosebump’o’meter – 3/10
4. – Yes Man 2008 – Von Iva
At number four we have the brilliant Von Iva from San Francisco. This three piece band composed four songs for this comedy. Yes Man featuring Jim Carey and Zooey Deschanel, is a romantic comedy about a man who has given up on life after his divorce. He then gets twisted into going to a ‘Yes!’ seminar by one of his buddies and the film follows him throughout his ‘Yes!’ adventure. Obviously he falls in love with the beautiful Zooey Deschanel’s character who sings in one exceedingly strange band titled ‘Munchausen by Proxy.’ The three members of Von Iva are featured in the gig scene. The scene is brilliant and very kaleidoscope-esque with the crazy costumes and colours. All the Von Iva tracks featured in this film are similar to their album ‘Our Own Island’, very 80’s inspired with their ominous synth sound and Jillian Iva’s predominant voice! The only difference is that all tracks are co-sung with Mrs. Deschanel and her delicate voice. The girls flatter each other and should definitely collaborate again.
Goosebump’o’meter: 6/10
3. – Austin Powers, Goldmember 2006 – Beyonce Knowles
I am aware of Beyonce’s fantastic job in Dream Girls made that same year, and yes on the whole it is probably by far a much better film, but this is Austin Powers we are talking about. I don’t know whether it is the colours, the costumes, the terrible innuendos; whatever it is everyone loves a bit of that hairy chest and those awful teeth. Originally from Texas, Beyonce Knowles looks marvellous as a spy in her skimpy gold outfit and as always her vocals are perfectly controlled and in perfect harmony with the backing singers (Well she has had a lot of practice having been the defacto frontlady in Destiny’s Child!). She is in a Dream Girl 1970’s set up which means those brilliant dance moves are put on display. The song is very catchy and does make you feel inclined to start tapping those toes, but it is about Goldmember and his…erm… Gold Member (If you know what I mean!).
Goosebump’o’meter: 6.5/10
2. – Across the Universe 2007 – Martin Luther McCoy
If you are a fan of the Beatles you will either adore or abhor this film. Let me simplify the plot for you… songs+romance+Vietnam War = Across the Universe. This musical stars the very pretty Evan Rachel Wood and the dishy Jim Sturgess, but the magic happens when San Francisco born Martin Luther McCoy, plays the mysterious guitarist Jo-Jo , who then proceeds to bring tears to the audience’s eyes with his seriously stunning cover of ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’ by The Beatles. Words can’t even begin to express how brilliant all the covers are in this musical and it was rather difficult only picking one of out the many songs, but McCoy’s cover is seeping with raw emotion. (He is a bloody brilliant guitarist too!)
Goosebump’o’meter : 8.5/10
1. – The School of Rock 2003 – The Mighty Jack Black
No one can deny the intensity of this Californian’s magnificence. The School of Rock is an ingenious film that swept over the globe leaving people with their mouths wide open, craving more. This bloke is so ridiculously talented that even his pure acting charisma is enough… until the gig scene which is, well there is no other way to put it other than…sublime. Even though he’s flying solo in this film without his usual music buddy Kyle Gass (The other half of Tenacious D), Jack Black plays the outrageous character of Dewey Finn, hilariously. Dewey is a true rocker at heart that sneakily takes a substitute teacher job at a private school, without actually being qualified. He then proceeds to teach all his pupils how to form a band, ‘The School of Rock’, and enters a ‘Battle of the Bands’ competition. The competition scene is what completes the film.
It is divine, and Jack Black’s skimpy school boy shorts are terrifyingly sexy in a weird way. This track is absolutely fantastic. It has it all, hair raising guitar solos, great vocals, a Japanese synth player, and it is so SO catchy. This whole scene oozes coolness. Jack, if you can hear me… MAKE A REAL ‘SCHOOL OF ROCK’ BAND!
Goosebump’o’meter: 10/10
Honourable mentions for non-American films:
Labyrinth 1986 – The one and only David Bowie…
Mars Attacks – Tom Jones
