Posts by Amanda Nguyen5

Did you lose your train of thought somewhere along the way?
I just had this wild realization hit me—what if Haneke actually ripped off Mirković? 😁

"Holy Motors" is easily one of the most original movies from the last decade. It’s one of the best. One of the saddest. One of the most fascinating things I've ever seen. Period.

ruggedjackal46 said:I actually have a killer recommendation for a festival just for you. The lineup is amazing and it's a total blast.

😁

Megan Diaz21 said:Where did you manage to catch Holy Motors?

At the New Horizons festival in Wroclaw—which, if you ask me, is easily the strongest lineup at any festival in the world.

Man, I was just picturing Haneke walking into his hotel room after bagging another Palme d'Or, throwing on Mirković's "Night Boat," and getting absolutely hammered.
Poor kid.

There’s some absolute gems in there, sure, and some total garbage too, but "Holy Motors" and "Amour"—now those are the kind of movies you just have to watch over and over again.

Honestly, I’m just stoked that more people are finally going to get a chance to discover the work of Renoir, Minnelli, and Chabrol.

Boredom is actually driving me insane.

If Clooney wasn't in this, it would be a total disaster.

As it stands, it’s just incredibly dull and honestly a pretty mediocre movie.

I mean, seriously? The organizer for the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival doesn't even know who M83 is.

That’s right.

Honestly, this was easily the most boring of the "big" movies this year, and even among the total flops. If I hadn't been stuck in a packed theater during the Sundance Film Festival wrap-up, I would've walked out after twenty minutes.

Just awful. Absolutely awful. Total horror. Horror.

Look, I’m telling you, the debut absolutely floored me. It was one of those "holy crap, this is easily the best album of the year" moments. But then the follow-up dropped, and I was like, "Okay, I might be exaggerating, but this is actually the greatest album ever made." Seriously, I think they actually managed to top themselves. Usually, the die-hard fans of the first record end up hating the sequel—that's just how it goes. But honestly? I think a lot of that hate is just pure posturing rather than any actual issues with the music or the lyrics...

Just checking in with my latest thoughts from Paris at the Pitchfork Festival. Justin Vernon basically proved what his studio albums already hinted at—he’s a once-in-a-generation genius. Honestly, he’s the kind of talent you just don't see often, and he delivers it in a way that leaves everyone feeling absolutely incredible.

northerncrane4 said:How much do you guys actually care about those press junkets or interviews they do once a movie hits theaters? Most of the time, those statements feel totally fake anyway.

Not really.

northerncrane4 said:Ever caught yourself pulling those specific points out of thin air just to flip an argument in your favor? You know exactly what I mean. It’s like a reflex. One minute you're talking, and the next, you're weaponizing a random fact just to win the point. Totally guilty.

I’ve caught myself doing all sorts of things, but I never saw this coming.
Honestly, I caught a lot of other people too. Even those folks I thought only knew a thing or two about movies up until that point.

northerncrane4 said:Honestly, if you ask me, statements like that are total bullshit.

Don't talk trash. 😁

Mark Wood79 said:Also, I have to say, it’s honestly wild how many people are stuck with this deep-seated idea that a movie adaptation is doomed to fail just because they already read the book. They get all hung up on the whole "well, I built this entire world in my head" thing. What a joke!

No, no, look—there’s definitely a group of people out there, and honestly, it’s a huge crowd, who swear by one rule: "A movie adaptation of a book? Fine, I'll give you that. But reading the book after seeing the movie? That's just impossible!" 🤣🤣

Just my two cents on the whole thing: once an artist finishes their work, they basically vanish. They cease to exist in relation to the piece. At that point, any comment the creator makes is just as relevant as a random person shouting from the sidewalk. Sure, there are times when someone—whether it’s a buddy, a critic, or some stranger—can clear things up for you or even flip your perspective (assuming they have better arguments than yours or it just "clicks"), but in my experience, it’s almost never the author themselves who does it.

Adam Moore said:Yeah, totally. Look, if you’ve got beef with something, go ahead and say it. I probably should've just walked away sooner.🙂

The sound system definitely lacked punch, but my point isn't that people couldn't hear each other talk. When I was at the radio station, we could all chat fine, but through the speakers, you really need that raw power to feel every single note. It's not like Arcade Fire is some weak, mid-tier band and they're lacking energy—it's the setup. I was in Austin late last summer and man, the vibe was pure, unadulterated joy and chaos. Last night? Not so much. Though, in my book, it wasn't exactly an "absolute disaster" either.

Look, I get it. I already said the sound lacked power, so being able to talk over it isn't the main issue.
They weren't a "total train wreck," sure, but were they boring? A massive disappointment? Absolutely. Seriously, these guys are my absolute favorite band out right now. I went in expecting a killer show, maybe even something perfect, and instead, I got nothing. I've got every right to be grumpy and complain about it.🙂

Adam Moore said:That’s honestly what top-tier sound systems are for. You actually hear the band, you catch every single note, and you can still hold a conversation without effort. You don't get that nasty feedback or humming you find in those trashed local setups where you have to scream like a maniac just to be heard over the music. The issue here was the mix, though. It was poorly executed because the highs were totally washed out—everything from the organ to the accordion and even the string players just got drowned. The crowd looked half-dead, probably from the trauma of waiting forever in line for those damn wristbands.

BTW, were you wearing a Robyn shirt? If you were, I heard your complaining through the entire set. It was driving me nuts. 🙂

Look, I know they have great sound systems; that was just one of my gripes. You're talking about the organ and strings, but personally, I barely even caught the piano, and then at one point the bass just absolutely exploded. Someone really botched the levels.

Yeah, I was wearing a Robyn shirt 😁, but which one were you? The one in the Montreal shirt or someone behind me?
I mean, damn, if you could hear my complaints directed at my friends, then it must have been seriously quiet. Sorry, I'm not doing this today 😉

Edward Cooper said:System of a Down... best concert yesterday, and I only caught the last 20 minutes because I'd never even heard of them before.😢(((((((((((

There's a reason you've never heard of them.

Chloe Howard29 said:Huh? 😕Wait, they didn't play Wake Up? Where else are you going to get a bigger rush than that? Or Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)? BTW, I know for a fact they played it.

I'm looking for more takes on Arcade Fire, because I'm catching them at Lollapalooza in less than a month.

Look, as a massive fan, a huge admirer, and basically the world's biggest Arcade Fire devotee, I can confirm this for you.
I don't know if it was the organizers cutting corners on the gear, but we were about ten rows back from the stage—basically right there—and the sound was just constant. We could have had a normal conversation without shouting over the noise and still been heard. You just can't put on a real show with audio like that. On top of that, the whole set felt muddy. Their studio recordings are so incredibly rich and perfect that even half of that magic coming to life is a feat. It felt like the band was too focused on the technical execution of everything and ended up losing themselves in the process. Sure, Win left blood, sweat, and tears on that stage, but all in all? The concert was boring. And I never thought I’d be the guy saying that about AF. I talked to a guy who saw them in an indoor venue in Manchester, and he said they were slightly better there, but it’s pretty much the same story. Regina was out of tune quite a bit, and the other vocals weren't anything to write home about either. It picked up a little near the end, but overall, a total letdown.

After that, I headed over to The Gentlemen, who were awesome, then hung out for fifteen minutes for a mediocre—but still way better than expected—set by Jamiroquai, and then headed straight home. My suspicions are being confirmed: worst Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival ever. First time I've actually regretted spending the money.

Waiting to see if Sitek and the crew change my mood tomorrow.

And don't even get me started on the wristbands. Forty minutes of standing around like an idiot waiting in line? Absolutely brutal.

Honestly, I think they'll lose half their crowd in three or four years, and Terraneo will become the new Lollapalooza.

Hey, does anyone happen to know who's putting this concert together?

I seriously need to find out, but I'm having zero luck looking it up anywhere.

I’ve been saying this for over a year now, ever since I first dropped the line: "Arcade Fire is the best band alive right now, and Animal Collective is pure genius."

I'm totally with mew on this one, and honestly, I'll add that LCD Soundsystem is incredible—their albums and DJ compilations are top-tier stuff.

On the flip side, I can confirm that the people running Coachella don't have a clue about music and clearly don't give a damn about it either.

coastalfox26 said:Look, I’ve just heard Arcade Fire for the first time—mostly because you claimed they're better than RATM—and I have zero clue what you're talking about. You're comparing a one-hit-wonder type band that nobody will remember by next year (think Franz Ferdinand or Kaiser Chiefs, though I've seen both live) to legends like RATM and SOAD. Those guys sell out reunion tours and have hundreds of thousands of die-hard fans, especially RATM. And yeah, RATM was the top pick for Lollapalooza fans last year, but they couldn't even book them, so for Coachella, they're basically just a dream for now...
P.S. For me, the best lineup had to be The Prodigy, Serj, and ADF..

Of course I was talking about what's hot right now. If we were debating pure musical greatness, I would've said they've been surpassed by everyone mentioned except AC/DC and early U2. But hey, let's be real, even your favorites, RATM, aren't exactly useless.
And as for nobody remembering Arcade Fire? Don't talk nonsense. You'll regret saying that later.

Roger Newman50 said:What’s the deal with that extra (maybe third?) day at Ultra Music Festival? Word on the street was that by Monday, City Hall would decide if they were going to charge us an extra fee or not... and apparently, that whole extra day was riding on that decision.

Monday came and went, and we're still totally in the dark...

And who even shows up to play? Is it gonna be Kawasaki 3p and Earth, Wind & Fire?