M&M #17

Amy Winehouse – Back To Black (2007)

Amy Winehouse, the wacko soul siren from England, invades america, much to the delight of music aficionados and paparazzi everywhere. Winehouse creates incredibly beautiful soul music with a viscous edge. Her lyrics have a rawness to them that seem so straightforwardly honest that connoisseurs of jazz will dismiss as immature but I love them. She's rash and sexy and vulgar...and she's a wreck! Getting in fights in public, too drunk to perform, pushing every boundary known to humanity. If she survives all the fame and all the bad press and all the bad habits, we may have a great visionary of funk for the future. But for now we have this wonderful album that is completely groovilicious.


The Motorcycle Diaries – Walter Salles (2004)

Based on the journals of Ernesto “Che” Guevara, this film is the youthful travels through South America of two young men who would eventually change the world. Originally planning to view the countryside and enjoy life a bit, their journey begins to take on a humanitarian tone as the two young men witness the injustices of life during the early 1950's. Another film with the incredible Gael Garcia Bernal, this movie is beautiful to the core. The scenery, the music, the dialogue, the acting, the human spirit, it all is a blessing given to us by consummate filmmakers. Bernal embodies the young Che and the passion with which he has for his craft is absolutely wonderful to witness. I truly believed that he would revolutionize the future at the end of this film. The spirit of freedom pulsing throughout the movie is addictive and my heart went out to plight of people around the world searching for a better world. Let's hope that one day humanity will indeed enjoy a genuine vision of equality.