Once

When I first saw a commercial for Mama Mia a few weeks ago, I said, “I want to see that!” A friend quickly talked some sense into me, reminding me that I don’t like musicals. It’s the truth. I’ve tried over and over again, but I just don’t like them. Maybe if they were a little less cheesy and the songs were a little shorter . . . . But, I took a chance (ha!) and saw Mama Mia anyway. Yeah, I’ll probably never watch it again, but it was a lot of fun. Most importantly, Mama Mia got me thinking. I like Abba well enough, but would I really like musicals if they were full of the kind of depressing-sounding, introspective music I like? The answer? Yes! I came across Once, a modern-day musical.

It’s an Irish film that was shot for less than $200,000, and features the music of Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová. Maybe you’ve heard “Falling Slowly.” Okay, so I’m not alone in thinking it’s awesome. It kinda sorta won an Oscar and Grammy. The video below features “Falling Slowly” and some clips from the movie.