Seizing The Day

Hal Hartley’s”Trust” (1990) is one of my favorite movies ever. It’s unusual, like the director himself, so I know it’s not for everyone. It’s dark humor and full of quirky dialogue but I just love it all. The two leads Martin Donovan and the late Adrienne Shelley were perfect.

Unfortunately, you can’t even purchase the DVD but some clips have begun to appear on YouTube all of a sudden! I check for it from time to time and today I was shocked to see so many clips of trust. Here are some of my favorite parts TRUST Video Clips. Also, added a clip of Hal explaining why TRUST is still not available on DVD after almost 20 years! There’s also a special tribute to Hal Hartley.

By the way, Adrienne Shelley directed the movie Waitress which was receiving rave reviews when she was tragically murdered during a robbery of his apartment.

I was in Italy in 1985 when Eros Romanzzotti performed his classic “Una Storia Importante” at the annual San Remo festival. It’s a special song to me because it was the theme of my glorious summer in Italy that year.

I love how YouTube can span an artist’s entire career in seconds with a simple click. The two videos below go from 1985 to 2008, jumping 23 years. Eros still looks and sounds great but you can see how much he has aged and changed.
Don’t we all.

Here’s the San Remo performance

Here’s Eros today with his latest hit “Ci Parliamo Da Grandi”.

Even though it’s been a few years since it was a hit, I still love “Bad Day” by Daniel Powter! It still turns even the worst of days into a better one because of all the fond memories it brings me. Another reason why the song’s extra special to me is because my youngest son also loved that song when he was about three and sang it all the time, especially when I came home from work which always made me laugh. He’d also sit on my lap and watch the sweet music video with me over and over again and sing it of course.

As for the song itself, everything about it was perfect. The music, Daniel’s singing and the lyrics. Even the music video was a pure joy to experience. It was a wonderful little movie that worked with the song incredibly well. The two leads were also excellent in their roles and the story was very sweet without being too corny.

I remember the first time I heard it on American Idol when they started using it at the end of shows when someone was sent home and they showed highlights of their journey on Idol. The song and Daniel Powter quickly became a sensation.

Here’s the music video:

Here are the lyrics:

BAD DAY by Daniel Powter
Where is the moment we needed the most
You kick up the leaves and the magic is lost
You tell me your blue skies fade to grey
You tell me your passion’s gone away
And I don’t need no carryin’ on

You stand in the line just to hit a new low
You’re faking a smile with the coffee to go
You tell me your life’s been way off line
You’re falling to pieces everytime
And I don’t need no carryin’ on

Cause you had a bad day
You’re taking one down
You sing a sad song just to turn it around
You say you don’t know
You tell me don’t lie
You work at a smile and you go for a ride
You had a bad day
The camera don’t lie
You’re coming back down and you really don’t mind
You had a bad day
You had a bad day

Well you need a blue sky holiday
The point is they laugh at what you say
And I don’t need no carryin’ on

You had a bad day
You’re taking one down
You sing a sad song just to turn it around
You say you don’t know
You tell me don’t lie
You work at a smile and you go for a ride
You had a bad day
The camera don’t lie
You’re coming back down and you really don’t mind
You had a bad day

(Oh.. Holiday..)

Sometimes the system goes on the blink
And the whole thing turns out wrong
You might not make it back and you know
That you could be well oh that strong
And I’m not wrong (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeeeah)

So where is the passion when you need it the most
Oh you and I
You kick up the leaves and the magic is lost

Cause you had a bad day
You’re taking one down
You sing a sad song just to turn it around
You say you don’t know
You tell me don’t lie
You work at a smile and you go for a ride
You had a bad day
You’ve seen what you like
And how does it feel for one more time
You had a bad day
You had a bad day

(Oh, yeah, yeaaah, yeah)
Had a bad day
(Oh, had a bad day)
Had a bad day
(Oh, yeah, yeah, yeeeeah)
Had a bad day
(Oh, had a bad day)
Had a bad day…
Had a bad day…

“Never Stop” by the Brand New Heavies has been one of my favorite songs ever since I first heard it. I think it’s one of the best summer feel good songs ever.
Perhaps it’s extra special to me because it came out during a special time in my life as well. In any event, it still makes me smile and feel good all over.

Never stop me for give in up
Never stop me for give in up
Never stop me for give in up X 2
Givin up feels so good to be together
Spending some time
Makin love
Makin plans to last forever
Stayin true until the end
Pre
True oo theres aint a minute of the the day that’s without you
Hoping that you feel it too What you want
What your feelin I am feelin too
Never stop never givin up
4 bars break
Never stop me for give in up
Never stop me for give in up
Never stop me for give in up
never green growin up but fadin never
this is what Id love to gain
free at last
free from all the pain and sorrow
never feel the hurt again
pre X 2
break down
take your time wont you try love
not a thing you can but love X 2
pre X 1
adlib sax out
never stop never stop

One of the most underrated movies ever has to be “Phenomenon” starring John Travolta. It is one of my all-time favorites. There are so many things that I love about this movie. The performances by everyone in the cast, especially Travolta and Forest Whitaker. Robert Duval was also amazing as the doctor.

The music was another incredible part of the movie. It’s no coincidence that the composer was Thomas Newman, once again. You will see many of my favorite movies on here will have soundtracks by Mr. Newman. He’s like our generation’s Mozart. The running theme throughout the movie whenever John stares at the trees swaying in the breeze are some of my favorite scenes ever. They are mesmerizing and so soothing. The way John’s character describes the feeling to his lady love (Kyra Sedgwick) was also precious, comparing it to the feeling a parent has when comforting a baby in their arms.

Here’s a poem I wrote that was inspired by the movie, especially the scenes with the trees dancing in the wind. I call it “The Tops of Trees“. Play this sampling of Thomas Newman’s beautiful soundtrack which inspired this poem.

Here are some scenes from the movie:

I just love “It Could Happen To You” starring Nicholas Cage and one of my favorites, Bridget Fonda. It reminds me so much of a Frank Capra movie. The story is so uplifting and the performances by everyone in the cast was wonderful. The music throughout the movie was also enjoyable and perfect for the story.

Here’s one of the best scenes when the millionaire waitress and cop use some of their winnings to treat a bunch of kids to a dream trip to Yankee stadium. Obviously, being a lifelong Yankee fan made me appreciate this scene all the more. The Frank Sinatra “Young at Heart” also adds a great deal of joy to the sequence.