Once

I can't believe I failed to recommend the movie, Once, which I saw a few weeks ago. It's about an Irish street musician type who meets a Czech piano player, and they then form a band and record a cd together. I think the most apt description is "sweet."

It's great because they solve the typical problem of musicals -- the unreality of people randomly breaking in to song -- by the fact that the movie is about them actually writing and performing the songs. Plus, they're all singer-songwritery songs. And there are no jazz hands.

Apparently the two leads -- Glen Hansard (of the Frames) and Marketa Irglova -- are now touring as the Swell Season and have released a cd of the same name. You can hear one of my favorite songs from the movie, "Falling Slowly," here.