Movie Review: "U23D"

by Al on Mar 18, 2008 12:37 AM CDT in Movie Reviews Comment 35 comments

TEMPE, Arizona -- Mostly, I'm posting this review as practice.

Practice? Yes, it's spring training, and this new platform is just as new to me as it is to you. I've had a little practice on a beta version, but you wouldn't want to see some of the stuff I posted there.

So, having gone to see "U23D" tonight, I thought I'd post a quick review, just to give you something to read before tomorrow morning's game thread, and also to give me some posting practice.

This movie was filmed during the 2005-2006 U2 Vertigo tour, and they chose to film a show in Buenos Aires, Argentina -- maybe because it was at a huge outdoor stadium that seemed to seat about 100,000. Even the general admission pit seemed to have far more people than the USA arena shows. I saw three of those shows -- two at the United Center, one at Madison Square Garden, and reviewed them here and here.

This film captured the concert experience perfectly, especially with the 3D feature (I was glad to see it here in Arizona, because had I seen it at Navy Pier in Chicago, it would have cost an extra $12 for parking). The most effective use of the 3D was when they had shots from behind the audience in the pit looking toward the stage. When they'd jump up and down it felt like they were sitting in the IMAX theater right in front of me. Pretty cool. If you're a fan of U2 you should see this film; if you're a fan of IMAX films, you should also see this film. I've heard U2 is back in the studio making new music this year and may go on tour worldwide again in 2009.

Nice way to spend an evening on a Cubs spring training off day. Back to the fray in the morning.

AYRating:

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Comments

U2 isn't a good band: Discuss

The preview feature didn't stop me from expressing this opinion.

by Thelonious on Mar 18, 2008 12:59 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

The whole pop-rock thing just doesn't do it for me

I can get get through a couple of songs before I get bored and switch to some good ol' fashioned heavy metal.

VORPy

by VS on Mar 18, 2008 6:11 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

My feelings about u2

Are pretty much summed up here

One of Us!One Of Us!

by HerrProf on Mar 18, 2008 9:12 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't really listen to one genre on an exclusive basis

I'm just a music fan. If I had to narrow my strongest tastes down, I'd say they lay in various combinations of jazz, funk, psychadelia, and hip hop, but I own a wide range of musical styles (I have a collection of over 4000 albums on vinyl). I certainly own my fair share of metal, as well. I can see that you're a metallica fan: if I pretend that "...And Justice for All" was the last album they made, I like them too.

So, for me it isn't a problem of genre. I just don't like U2's music in particular. I'm sure a lot of people here love U2 (as they do everywhere), so my opinions are probably not very popular, but U2 is overproduced, commercial, and not very imaginative.

by Thelonious on Mar 18, 2008 7:26 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

So do you like The High Priest of Bop,

or is your screen name just a coincidence? He's one of my favorites, especially his early stuff on Blue Note.

brian2.0

by markleonette on Mar 18, 2008 7:31 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

no, I'm a huge Thelonious Monk fan

I was listening to "Brilliant Corners" when I first signed up to bcb, and as a joke, I took the name "Thelonious Drunk".

I have a complete collection of the work Monk did on Blue Note. The bop/hard bop era was awesome, in general, and Thelonious is one of my favorites (along with Art Blakey and John Coltrane).

by Thelonious on Mar 18, 2008 7:40 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I recently bought a few Art Blakey

and the Jazz Messenger cds. Both volumes of Live at Birdland, volume one of At the Cafe Bohemia, and Ugetsu. I was really impressed with Horace Silver on the first two Birdland cds. I had never heard his playing before. Also Clifford Brown on trumpet. I knew he died young in a car accident, but had not heard him play before.

As I said, I like the Blue Note Monk's a lot, but my favorite music of his is "Monk Alone: The Complete Columbia Solo Studio Recordings." His playing solo is unbelievable. It's happy, sad and everything in between. There's also a live solo version of "(When It's Darkness) On the Delta," from Big Band and Quartet in concert that is quite moving.

brian2.0

by markleonette on Mar 18, 2008 8:10 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Art Blakey

Check this out ( http://www.amazon.com/Art-Blakey-Jazz-Messengers-Icons/dp/B000H9HWQ4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1205889789&sr=1-1 ). The production is top notch (especially considering this was made in '58), and it features Benny Golson on tenor sax and Lee morgan on trumpet. This version of "moanin'" is particularly outstanding.

by Thelonious on Mar 18, 2008 8:31 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

You're right on the production

I have a couple of DVDs from this series (Duke Ellington and Monk) and they're both great.

brian2.0

by markleonette on Mar 18, 2008 8:49 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I forgot 'pretentious', too.

by Thelonious on Mar 18, 2008 7:40 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Limited opening???

Is the movie only a limited release? I can't seem to find any place here that is playing it.

by Madison Cub Fan on Mar 18, 2008 1:30 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

U2 Movie

All Ive got to say is how cool would it be if the documentary they are filming this year on the Cubs was made into a 3D Imax movie.....It would be huge!

by ryanbrixenivy on Mar 18, 2008 8:41 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Enjoyed this film as well..

Was a very good performance by U2, and the 3D effect made me feel like i was in the crowd (which was very enthusisatic)..

Yes, U2 are not a good band, they are a GREAT band (although perhaps not as great as they once were).

by lance dickson on Mar 18, 2008 8:42 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Their last album wasn't the greatest

but I still really like them. Achtung Baby is one of my favorite albums by anyone, and I was just listening to Rattle and Hum the other day. I love Bono's line in the live version of "Bullet the Blue Sky": "I can't tell the difference between ABC News, Hill Street Blues, and a preacher on the Old Time Gospel Hour, stealing money from the sick and the poor. Well my God isn't short of cash, mister." Good stuff.

brian2.0

by markleonette on Mar 18, 2008 5:58 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Very, very good.

I've seen this twice now, really something you have to see to believe. They actually took shots from 7 shows and pieced it together in the end, if you look closely, Bono changes jackets a couple times in the middle.

by hauss007 on Mar 18, 2008 8:50 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Forgot....

I forgot to include this, tells the story of how they pulled it off.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U23D

by hauss007 on Mar 18, 2008 8:51 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Quick correction, Al...

A good friend of mine from high school worked on filming this movie. The concert footage was not filmed solely in Buenos Aires, Argentina...it was filmed THROUGHOUT U2's South American concert tour. Indeed, the major accomplishment of the film crew was making a numbre of different shows look like ONE show.

The fact that you didn't notice, Al, makes the accomplishment more impressive.

by Chadnudj on Mar 18, 2008 8:51 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

That is impressive.

It sure looked like you were seeing the same people in the audience in all the audience shots.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Mar 18, 2008 9:39 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Practice? We talkin'...practice?

Not a game?

by Bildo1805 on Mar 18, 2008 8:57 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

haha...

I was thinking of the same thing. Excellent!

by stadiumguru on Mar 18, 2008 10:01 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Unbelievable!!

I saw this movie in Nashville - sat right in front of Dierks Bentley. the movie was amazing - classic U2!! can't wait for a tour in '09!!

by MSCub on Mar 18, 2008 8:58 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

just checking

by coral on Mar 18, 2008 9:09 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Off topic but...

I wasn't sure if this was diary material but I saw this on slickdeals.net and thought some people on here might find this useful...

shop.mlb.com has 1/2 off any clearance item when you buy another non-clearance item. Enter code NEWARR at checkout.

You can buy something cheap at regular price and get 1/2 off a more expensive clearance item.

by Waveland on Mar 18, 2008 9:36 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

shoot

i didn't need to read that. I've been looking for an excuse to shop around at mlb.com anyways.

---formerly known on BCB, WCG, and BAB simply as mike.
AC 00 00 00 - Believe

by mjk83 on Mar 18, 2008 9:55 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Practice makes perfect

Like the new design. Thanks.

by goddess on Mar 18, 2008 9:53 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

one of my uncles saw the u2 movie and loved it

I don't really care all that much for u2 but I think the imax 3d thing is kind of cool and if used properly can really add to the experience.

on a sidenote I am very curious to see how the new system does with our live game diaries with tons of people constantly updating. I'm sure that the developers at SBN have stress tested this bad boy but it will be interesting to see how it responds this afternoon.

---formerly known on BCB, WCG, and BAB simply as mike.
AC 00 00 00 - Believe

by mjk83 on Mar 18, 2008 9:53 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Just a thought..

Al, if you have seen The Emerald Diamond you should do a review if you haven't already. It might make a good BCB "outing" during the All Star break if you can arrange a screening.

I have seen a couple random eps on TV but not the whole documentary.

"To know that I know what I know, and that I do not know what I do not know. That is true knowledge" - Confucious as quoted in Walden

by toaster on Mar 18, 2008 9:58 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I have heard of this film...

... but not seen it. It was screened in Chicago last March when I was at spring training, otherwise I would have gone to the screening. Maybe we can figure something out.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Mar 18, 2008 10:01 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

good movie

I picked up the DVD and a shirt when they had the stuff on sale. It's strange to think of baseball as a new sport to a region. It's definitely worth watching.

---formerly known on BCB, WCG, and BAB simply as mike.
AC 00 00 00 - Believe

by mjk83 on Mar 18, 2008 10:17 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

How long?

Do you have a guess to the total "run time" of the movie?

"To know that I know what I know, and that I do not know what I do not know. That is true knowledge" - Confucious as quoted in Walden

by toaster on Mar 18, 2008 10:51 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

U2

One of my fave bands of all time! Saw them in Tampa I believe in late '87......Haven't seen this film yet, but will do soon I hope.

by Bump Bailey on Mar 18, 2008 10:03 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Sounds like a good one

Hope it comes to Omaha!

Cubs Win!! Cubs Win!

by Ihatethecards on Mar 18, 2008 10:29 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

U2

Yeah, not a big fan of U2, but the wife is, so we saw it in Peoria a few weekends ago. It was quite impressive, and they didn't play any of the songs I HATE (Mysterious Ways? Makes me want to find mysterious ways to cut myself). Quite an experience. If 3-D movies are going to become en vogue, this is an excellent example of such.

by Floyd Dub on Mar 18, 2008 12:20 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Seen it twice...

in IMAX, it's the only concert film I've ever seen that really replicates the "being there" feel of a concert. I know the Stones did "At The MAX" like 25 years ago, but this is light years beyond that.

A solid "A" on my scale.

by bison on Mar 18, 2008 12:47 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Mrs Cubnational loved it .. me? Meh

My princess is a BIG U2 fan. Saw it at the IMAX theater here in Chattanooga by the TN Aquarium. I watched her bump and wiggle all night to their music - watching my sexy babe do that was worth the price of the the ticket.

As to U2? They're ok. I like their style and talent and music, but I am definitely NOT a fan. After the third song, I was ready to head out. The only thing that really kept me involved was watching the startling depth of clarity and focus that the IMAX fiming provided. That really blew me away. Being able to see the eyelashes of the people in the crowd, as well as the glimmering reflections in the U2 drummer's drink glass as he played was startling.

What really was a bummer was that the sound wasn't terribly spacious OR loud. I expected a far more better audio send up in that giant theater.

But the music was alright. The CoExist thing got a little preachy. But the very end of the movie, after almost all of the audience had split, except Joy and I and a few others was the really amazing effect. THAT was better than any DVD easter egg.

Well, Next Year is here .. and Jack's century's gotta end some time .. GO CUBBIES!

by cubnational on Mar 18, 2008 9:50 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs