Once at the Crest
One small reason that I'm happy to be back in Seattle is the Crest Cinema. The Crest is a second-run theater in North Seattle that charges my kind of prices ($3) and shows my kind of movies (it is run by Landmark Theatres). Last weekend Jana and I went to the Crest to see Once, an Irish film that I'd wanted to see for months.
Once is set in Dublin and stars Glen Hansard of the seminal Irish band The Frames. In the film he plays a much less famous musician (Guy) who plays guitar on Grafton Street between shifts at his dad's vacuum repair shop. After the opening credits he meets a beautiful pianist (Girl) and they start collaborating. The narrative follows the amazing music that they make together and the more amazing relationship that they develop.
Once has some superbly subtle scenes: When the old vacuum repair man pauses after hearing his son's music and then lets him know its "fuckin' brilliant." When Guy and Girl first play together in the music shop. When Girl walks down the street late at night listening to a demo and singing lyrics as she writes them in her head. The list of great scenes goes on, and most of the songs are equally great. The performances feel honest, especially Hansard's deeply likable Guy. While Once might feel like a small movie, it is a great small movie. Well worth the $3 price of admission.
3 comments:
I can't wait to see this movie, hopefully it will come to the cheap theater by my house soon.
I'm a huge fan of cheap theaters; already been to the Crest twice this month. When the Milpitas Cinema Saver closed up in the Bay Area, I just had to move to Seattle.
As for Once, I didn't mention this in the post, but you'll enjoy seeing Dublin. It isn't shot like a tourist postcard, but I recognized Temple Bar, Trinity College, the Wicklow Mountains, and, of course, Grafton Street. They made an effort to shoot the "real" Dulin, and I'll say it made me feel a bit like I was back there.
I like when movies have that effect on you. Seeing a place you've been to before on screen is much different then seeing it on a travel show.
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