Song Review: "Open Up" by Editors (2007)

Open Up by Editors is a breathtakingly haunting and lovely song about opening up to love. This song is both a reminder and a cautioning that reluctance preys on the heart and you can feel afraid, because everyone feels that.  But as the song says -
"you have a place in my heart."

There is something like hurt/comfort in this song, something healing and warming. Tom Smith's vocals in this are deep and sincere. It welcomes you, saying "you are home," like an anthem to keep like a prayer in your mind. When I feel alone, or homesick, or sad, this song reminds me I am loved. It is simply beautiful.

The band (brief overview):

They are a British indie rock band (formed in 2002) from Birmingham. Editors have had two platinum records and sold out tours. They have released three albums so far. This song is a bonus track from their second album "An End Has a Start" that was released in 2007. The album received relatively positive reviews, receiving a metacritic score of 65/100 based on 24 reviews. I know many of you may have heard this song (it's been out for a number of years!) but I just recently started to listen to Editors due to a recommendation from a friend. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Editors)

- L E E N A

Rating: 5/5

Editors: Tom Smith,
Chris Urbanowicz,
Russell Leetch, and Ed Lay

Movie Review: Phoebe in Wonderland (2008)

Phoebe in Wonderland showcases a  9 year old girl (portrayed by Elle Fanning) who seems to always get into trouble. When her school drama teacher decides to put on a play of Alice in Wonderland, Phoebe begins to imagine the characters giving her advice. 

I should point out that I love the Fanning sisters, who are both such dedicated and lovely and down-to-earth young actresses. In this movie, Elle Fanning plays an outcast, a girl who gets teased in school, and who can't seem to control what she says or does. She doesn't meet to create havoc (In the movie, she says she can feel herself "wrecking and ruining" everything but she can't seem to stop). Her younger sibling, Olivia, seems to be far beyond her years (much like the actress playing her, Bailee Madison). She is frustrated with her older sibling and knows that Phoebe can't control it. She often acts as the older sibling, humoring Phoebe's obsessive and irrational behavior while explaining to others that she can't control it.

I absolutely loved this movie. I cannot praise Felicity Huffman (who plays the mother) and Elle Fanning enough. They were committed to their roles, as emotional and gutwrenching as they were. Bailee Madison is a great supporting young actress as well, who portrays a young girl that has to grow up too fast because of her sister's behavior. I would write more, but I don't want to give away the ending. This is a drama, but also a sort of a mystery because you don't find out why she acts the way she does until towards the end.

Rating: 5/5

(I also loved Hounddog starring Dakota Fanning, who portrayed a young girl who is dealing with an extremely emotional drama).

- L E E N A