U2 3D
Last night I took the boys (and DS1’s girlfriend) to see the U2 3D film at our favorite cineplex. Of course, being the crazy goof-ball I am, I relied on Fandango for show times. Yeah. I guess that’s wrong to do that. We busted our buns to get there by 6:00 for a 6:30 show only to find out the show times were 5:30 and 7:30. Oh well! I guess that means we’ll walk over and have Subway for dinner (instead of popcorn and junior mints. I know. Nutrition is my strong suit.)
The movie is a National Geographic production and as such the camera work is and editing is beautiful. The 3-D was sort well done, but I began to wonder even at the beginning what the point of it was. The only time it really was cool was when Bono reached out and “wiped away your tears.” Other than that it was a nice special effect but I don’t think critical to the success of the film.
I did wonder with the kids afterwards about why we are 50% of audience at that showing. Was it because U2’s political message (and they preached a strong message of human rights) falls on unreceptive ears in the suburbs (which in the Twin Cities tend to vote more red, if you know what I mean?) I thought Bono’s popularity was crossing those boundaries and getting both the right and the left to listen to him?
The kids thought it had more to do with not being well publicized. And that could be, I suppose. It was in limited release up until this weekend.
I didn’t find anything to argue with in his message, obviously. If you’ve been hanging around here for a while you’d know that I’m quite proud of the fact that he, as a popular musician, is using his power for world-wide social justice concerns, rather than just living the self-centered rock star life.
But I wondered at why a band like U2 doesn’t get the same grief as a band like, say….the Dixie Chicks? Is it because they’re Irish? I found some of their imagery blatantly American (the galloping buffalo during One, for instance.) The lyrics and messages definitely hearken back to some of the great protest rockers of the 60’s and 70’s. Why don’t I hear the same sort of back-lash against him as I did of those bands? Puzzling.
The movie was filmed at a concert in Argentina. The crowd scenes were amazing. The sound work was fantastic. Clear, without distortion. And even highlighted aurally what you were looking at on screen. You could hear the person in the crowd yelling, or the drums were just a little louder when the shot was from above the drum kit, or hearing Bono hit his chest with his fist. Very nicely done. Subtle but it definately gave you the sensation of actually seeing/hearing/being the camera.
All in all, I think it was probably the best concert movie I’ve seen. At $11 a ticket, it’s most definitely the best ticket you’ll get to a U2 concert.
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A year ago (or longer) on This Journey…
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A year ago (or longer) on This Journey…
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A year ago (or longer) on This Journey…
February 23rd, 2008 at 2:27 pm
I personally have no use for Bono and U2. I thought they lost their edge back in about 85. The music is so much the same all the time.
They have always tried to be, but have not come close to becoming “the most important band in the world”. That title belonged to and still does to the Clash.
February 23rd, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Ex saw U2 in Germany in 1997 - he was deployed with a cushy job and I was home alone pregnant. Boy, was I jealous. Maybe 3D could make up for that a bit. Great review.
February 24th, 2008 at 6:39 pm
I think that the Dixie Chicks fan base back then was shocked to learn that they weren’t a bunch of Fox News viewing, propaganda believing automatons.
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February 25th, 2008 at 7:52 pm
I don’t think U2 and the Dixie Chicks had remotely the same core message.
U2 definitely did NOT lose it in 85. In fact, their music diversified HUGELY after that point. Their albums from 80-84 were MUCH more similar than, say, The Joshua Tree compared to Pop compared to Achtung Baby.
Say what you want, love ‘em or hate ‘em, but “musical stagnation after 85″ is probably the least defensible thing you could say about U2.
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