Blinded by the Light (2019 film)

Continuing the string of recent Hollywood films inspired by classical musicians.

I liked it.

Cheesy and lightweight, but still a feel-good film.

Blinded by the Light is a 2019 British comedy-drama film directed by Gurinder Chadha, inspired by the life of journalist Sarfraz Manzoor and his love of the works of Bruce Springsteen. …

Set in the town of Luton in 1987 Thatcherite Britain, the film tells the coming-of-age story of Javed, a British-Pakistani Muslim teenager whose life is changed after he discovers the music of Springsteen. …

I discovered Springsteen in about 1974. Influential music critic Jon Landau declared him the future of Rock and Roll that year.

This film is set in 1987. The Boss is no longer new and cool.

Nor are his fans.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

KING & COUNTRY – Little Drummer Boy

I usually link to the Bowie and Crosby Little Drummer Boy (1977) over the holiday season.

This year check out Joel and Luke Smallbone’s version. Great percussion.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Tracy Chapman – Fast Car

A classic from 1988.

Rolling Stone ranked Fast Car number 167 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

It is Chapman’s only song on the list (and the highest ranking song both written and performed by a female artist).

Click PLAY or listen on YouTube.

Yesterday – my movie review

I loved the recent Freddie Mercury biopic. But was disappointed with the Elton John movie released shortly after.

The trailer for Yesterday looked fantastic. I could not wait.

The film IS charming and entertaining. Subtle too. Ed Sheeran’s participation awesome.

Best character, of course, is Kate McKinnon as the greedy manager.

Click PLAY or watch the trailer on YouTube.

Minnie Riperton – Loving You

This song went #1 in 1975. Her voice has amazing range.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Sadly, Minnie died in 1979 of cancer. She was only age-31.

Canada Day in Parksville, B.C.

The population of Parksville is far fewer than 15,000 … but we must have had 15,000 at the Canada Day celebration. The beach was packed.

I was most impressed with fireworks.

Tiny little girls were dancing / celebrating / cartwheeling while watching the show. Very cute.

I caught 3 of the musical acts. All good.

Headliners were The Tragically Hip Experience. Very Canadian.

… Or maybe it was actually The Joe Cocker Experience. Very British. Anyway, entertaining.

Erebus by Michael Palin (2018)

I’ve read all Michael Palin’s book. Always engaging and entertaining.

The audio version is particularly recommended as Palin reads it himself.

In September 2014, marine archaeologists discovered HMS Erebus, her snapped stern furred with algae, on the Arctic seabed. Palin starts there and works back. …

… September 1839, accompanied by HMS Terror, … four years on an Antarctic adventure, where the dashing James Clark Ross captained her to the Barrier, or the Ross ice shelf as it was then known. …

The two ships set the record for most southerly latitude reached under sail alone.

I actually enjoyed reading about the successful Antarctic voyages — 12 months avoiding icebergs — than the more infamous Northwest Passage attempt under captain Franklin.

… disappeared while on his last expedition, attempting to chart and navigate the Northwest Passage in the North American Arctic. The icebound ships were abandoned and the entire crew died of starvation, hypothermia, tuberculosis, lead poisoning, zinc deficiency and scurvy.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.