Recommended by Mika: books, movies and everything else

[MartaH]

I just watched a series recommended by Mika: Big Little Lies. Currently, I'm reading the book which he mentioned a few times, " The Tao of Pooh" I really enjoyed both the book and the series, and I'm just wondering what you discovered after it was mentioned by Mika. Any interesting books, movies, artists? I saw his old Instagram post where he talked about JoJo Rabbit - that's next on my list. 

[SusanT]

On September 17 2022  Mika called the movie  "Marcel the Shell with Shoes On" a brilliant new classic. I think @eriko reposted the tweet. 

[Kumazzz]

4 hours ago, SusanT said:

On September 17 2022  Mika called the movie  "Marcel the Shell with Shoes On" a brilliant new classic. I think @eriko reposted the tweet. 

 

Thanks, my MFC name is @Kumazzz, sorry for confusing you.

 

Surely we should post "Marcel The Shell With Shoes On" here.

 

On 9/17/2022 at 9:41 AM, Kumazzz said:

Twitter

 

@mikasounds

And a brilliant new cult classic is born: Marcel The Shell With Shoes On. ❤❤👏

@jennyslate

@marcelthemovie

 

 

#MarcelTheShell

Marcel The Shell With Shoes On | Official Trailer HD | A24

 

 

 

On 9/18/2022 at 1:25 AM, SusanT said:

This afternoon I checked out  https://www.rogerebert.com - a website I often use when I want a critic's opinion of a movie -  to read what the reviewer had to say about the movie Mika recommended on his Twitter account. Here is an excerpt from the review which I think can throw some light on how to interpret Mika's remark:  "Da quando mia mamma non c'è più vivo come fossi morto, così tutto è meraviglia."

 

Marcel’s physical aesthetic of having one eye, a shell for a body and a never-ending perseverance is simultaneously contagious and admirable. Yet, the poetic justice and license of including Philip Larkin’s poem The Trees drives the dramatic thrust of this story, summing it up in one fell swoop:

 

 

The signs of newness are also sewn into what has died away. Everything changes all the time. I love being alive, especially in the late spring, when the flowers return again. But you can’t enjoy the daffodil without honoring what has died so it can regrow. If you want to really grow, you must be able to know and allow for what change really looks like and feels like.

 

"Marcel the Shell with Shoes On" will make your spirit soar and remind you to enjoy those you love, inhale a bit of fresh air, and respect the earth every second as though it were your very first time. It's a reminder to embrace all the stages of grief and see our dark chapters as changes that somehow make us better on the other side. 

 

https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/marcel-the-shell-with-shoes-on-2022        Carla Renata June 21, 2022

 

[TinyLove_CJ]

   I just watched JoJo Rabbit (it's available on All4 right now), I've been meaning to watch it ever since Mika gave it a mention. I've seen trailers previously and often seen it described as a comedy-drama, but boy I was NOT prepared for what I just saw!

 

   I won't spoil it for anyone but I'm telling you now to have some tissues ready. 

 

   It's a masterfully written story and one of the best I've seen in a long time.

[Kumazzz]

@TinyLove_CJ

 

Jojo Rabbit Soundtrack is awesome !

 

[TinyLove_CJ]

5 hours ago, Kumazzz said:

@TinyLove_CJ

 

Jojo Rabbit Soundtrack is awesome !

 

 

It really is! I know they use songs that wouldn't have been around during WWII but the music works perfectly! 

 

I quite like the German version of Heroes too! 

[Kumazzz]

3 minutes ago, TinyLove_CJ said:

 

It really is! I know they use songs that wouldn't have been around during WWII but the music works perfectly! 

 

I quite like the German version of Heroes too! 

 

Helden / Heroes

 

 

[Hero]

On X-Factor Italia he said he loved "Big Fish". Not sure if he meant the film or the book it was based on - maybe both. 

 

In his birthday insta live discussing MNIMH, he said he liked the TV series "Glow". I think that was soon cancelled though, maybe only 1 season was aired. 

 

And of course, "My Neighbour Totoro". ❣

[TinyLove_CJ]

2 hours ago, Hero said:

On X-Factor Italia he said he loved "Big Fish". Not sure if he meant the film or the book it was based on - maybe both. 

 

I wouldn't mind watching Big Fish again, I remember watching it when I was younger (probably too young) and finding it quite sad, but now I think I'd appreciate the story more.

 

2 hours ago, Hero said:

In his birthday insta live discussing MNIMH, he said he liked the TV series "Glow". I think that was soon cancelled though, maybe only 1 season was aired. 

 

There are 3 seasons of GLOW, they're all on Netflix which was supposed to renew the show for season 4 but due to lack of funds during the pandemic it did get cancelled 🙁. It's something I would be interested in watching too!

 

(maybe Mika likes it because one if the actresses is called Alison Brie!  )

 

2 hours ago, Hero said:

And of course, "My Neighbour Totoro". ❣

 

Mika doesn't have to recommend this to me, this is a film I've watched countless times and never get bored of! It's up there as one of my favourites and I would definitely recommend it to anyone else! 😁

 

I can imagine Mika is a fan of all the Ghibli films!

[Hero]

20 minutes ago, TinyLove_CJ said:

I can imagine Mika is a fan of all the Ghibli films!

Yes, I was thinking that studio's whole output would appeal to him one way or another. 

 

22 minutes ago, TinyLove_CJ said:

(maybe Mika likes it because one if the actresses is called Alison Brie!  )

 The door is over there --->

 

 

[TinyLove_CJ]

   In Episode 1 of The Piano, when Harry started playing, Mika made a comment along the lines of "There should be balloons attached to the piano and he can float in the air like in Up."

 

   This implies that Mika has seen the Disney movie Up. But maybe he wasn't watching properly because it's a house with balloons attached not a piano! 

 

  I wouldn't be surprised if Mika has seen the movie though, it's such an uplifting (excuse the pun!) and heartwarming story and one of my favourites by Disney.

[CharlotteL]

So I just returned "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand (which Mika mentioned as one of his favourite books) to the library. Not because I finished it, but because I just couldn't bring myself to continue reading. I do feel like I gave it a fair shot as I read about a third which is already about 400 pages.

I found it intriguing at the beginning but things quickly started to fall apart for me and when I started doing research into this book (to make some sort of sense of it) and discovered all the controversy around it and the author, I disliked it more and more. I suppose there's no point in getting into the details (unless someone else here has read it) but I will say that I am absolutely fascinated by the fact that Mika likes it and I would love to ask him why.

My best guess is that he likes it BECAUSE it voices a worldview that is very different from his own. He often says that he likes hearing the opinions of people who think completely different to himself. And I highly respect that, I think we would all get along much better if we had the ability to listen to each other with curiosity and openness.

This still absolutely doesn't explain how a severely dyslexic, artistic person got himself through reading a 1200 page glorification of capitalism soo he certainly keeps me on my toes!

[linzijay]

@CharlotteL Your experience reminds me of when I tried to read Oryx and Crake after I heard Mika liked it. I’m think it has a better overall main theme/point than Atlas Shrugged (which I’ve already heard bad things about), but I found it way too distasteful and dark while it was trying to make its point. It was interesting to try to read it, though, even if I couldn’t get myself to finish it.

[CharlotteL]

Oh interesting @linzijay I was gonna try that one next as I do like Handmaid's tale.

But yeah Mika likes dark stuff!! I agree, it's good to get out of your reading comfort zone every once in a while

[TinyLove_CJ]

On 2/12/2023 at 4:19 PM, TinyLove_CJ said:

On 2/12/2023 at 1:48 PM, Hero said:

On X-Factor Italia he said he loved "Big Fish". Not sure if he meant the film or the book it was based on - maybe both. 

 

I wouldn't mind watching Big Fish again, I remember watching it when I was younger (probably too young) and finding it quite sad, but now I think I'd appreciate the story more.

   Watched Big Fish today, still found it quite sad, but now as an adult I can at least understand some of the meanings within the story now. I don't think I could bring myself to watch it again though, seeing it now is enough for me. I can understand why Mika would like it though, I imagine some elements might have inspired his song writing (Lady Jane comes to mind), and Mika himself is guilty of exaggerating the truth now and then!

[SusanT]

On 2/22/2023 at 4:00 PM, TinyLove_CJ said:

   In Episode 1 of The Piano, when Harry started playing, Mika made a comment along the lines of "There should be balloons attached to the piano and he can float in the air like in Up."

 

   This implies that Mika has seen the Disney movie Up. But maybe he wasn't watching properly because it's a house with balloons attached not a piano! 

 

  I wouldn't be surprised if Mika has seeivesn the movie though, it's such an uplifting (excuse the pun!) and heartwarming story and one of my favourites by Disney.

I found Up also moving in how it portrayed loss and disappointment. 

[Anna Ko Kolkowska]

On 2/22/2023 at 4:00 PM, TinyLove_CJ said:

   This implies that Mika has seen the Disney movie Up. But maybe he wasn't watching properly because it's a house with balloons attached not a piano! 

 

I think Mika related to Harry's face . He looks like the old man from the movie Up. So if you see him you can think about balloons as well even if the image from the movie might be different. 

[TinyLove_CJ]

5 hours ago, Anna Ko Kolkowska said:

I think Mika related to Harry's face . He looks like the old man from the movie Up. 

You're right, Harry does resemble Carl from Up! 

 

Now all we need is a young boy and a talking dog on The Piano and we've got the story for 'Up 2'  

 

I love that movie, I want to watch it again now!

[Kumazzz]

Mika mentions «Maestro» and Leonard Bernstein in this interview.

 

Si vous aviez trente secondes avec n'importe qui maintenant, ce serait avec qui et pour lui dire quoi?

 

(Il réfléchit longtemps.) Avez-vous vu «Maestro» sur Netflix? Le film a de grandes qualités, mais il ne m'a pas fait rêver. Il parle de Leonard Bernstein. C'est un compositeur d'une puissance incroyable. Si je pouvais, je lui demanderais d'où viennent ses mélodies qui, à mon avis, font partie des meilleures mélodies pop de notre histoire. Pourquoi ses chansons avaient besoin d'exister dans un monde comme le nôtre?

 

If you had thirty seconds with anyone right now, who would it be with and to tell them what?

(He thinks for a long time.) Have you seen «Maestro» on Netflix? The film has great qualities, but it didn't make me dream. He's talking about Leonard Bernstein. He is a composer of incredible power. If I could, I would ask him where his melodies come from, which, in my opinion, are among the best pop melodies in our history. Why did his songs need to exist in a world like ours?

 

 

Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonard_Bernstein

 

Trailer

 

 

 

10 hours ago, Kumazzz said:

An interview from Switzerland

 

Le Matin

https://www.lematin.ch/story/interview-mika-en-francais-je-parle-damour-ou-de-sexe-avec-plus-de-poesie-103047056

Publié23. février 2024

 

Mika: «En français, je parle d'amour ou de sexe avec plus de poésie»

Le chanteur natif du Liban sort son premier album dans la langue de Molière et viendra le présenter à l'Arena de Genève le 28 mars. 

 

«Ce disque m'a tellement plu niveau production et création. C'est un nouveau terrain de jeu», nous confie d'emblée Mika au téléphone. La raison? «Pour que ta tête fleurisse toujours» est le premier album de l'artiste né à Beyrouth uniquement en français. Un projet qui a commencé suite au décès de sa mère, en 2021. Celle-ci souffrait d'un cancer du cerveau.

 

Avant de partir, elle l'a poussé une nouvelle fois à se surpasser dans son art. Un challenge qui a abouti sur douze chansons dans la langue de Molière et lui a permis d'être encore plus transparent et en accord avec ses émotions.

Mika s'apprête à partir dans une grande tournée internationale pour présenter ses titres et on peut le retrouver chaque samedi, sur TF1, en tant que coach de «The Voice». À 40 ans, il ne semble toujours pas connaître la définition du mot «relax»! Interview.

 

«Pour que ta tête fleurisse toujours» est une drôle de phrase...

 

(Rires.) C'est une dernière provocation de ma mère avant qu'elle ne disparaisse. On a tous les deux collaboré depuis toujours. Elle m'a formé jusqu'à quelques mois avant sa mort. Comme elle ne pouvait pas sortir pour m'acheter un cadeau d'anniversaire, elle l'a fait elle-même. Elle m'a dessiné un petit croquis avec le message: «Que ta tête fleurisse toujours.» Par ce biais, elle me disait: «Mon cerveau s'éteint, j'espère que le tien continuera à fleurir.» Elle m'a toujours poussé à travailler ma créativité. C'était une belle manière de répondre à la mort, sans devenir une triste victime.

 

Il s'agit de votre premier album entièrement dans la langue de Molière. Votre créativité s'est-elle exprimée en français comme vous le souhaitiez?

 

Je voulais prendre un risque avant de sortir un nouvel album en anglais. Dans ma tête, ce n'est pas un disque de variété. J'ai voulu faire un projet pop en français tout en gardant ma culture angle-saxonne. J'ai utilisé une autre partie de mon cerveau qui m'a permis d'être encore plus créatif.

 

Dans le titre «30 secondes» vous parlez de ce court instant où une vie peut changer. Cela est-il réellement arrivé?

 

L'idée de cette chanson m'est venue dans un bar à Los Angeles. J'étais avec ma copine Skyler Stronestreet, qui a notamment écrit pour Lady Gaga et Kesha. On regardait autour de nous en se demandant: «Si nous avions trente secondes, de qui tomberions-nous amoureux?» C'est un petit jeu que l'on fait à chaque fois qu'on va boire des bières. On l'a appelé «Les amours imaginaires». Essayez, c'est drôle! 

 

Si vous aviez trente secondes avec n'importe qui maintenant, ce serait avec qui et pour lui dire quoi?

 

(Il réfléchit longtemps.) Avez-vous vu «Maestro» sur Netflix? Le film a de grandes qualités, mais il ne m'a pas fait rêver. Il parle de Leonard Bernstein. C'est un compositeur d'une puissance incroyable. Si je pouvais, je lui demanderais d'où viennent ses mélodies qui, à mon avis, font partie des meilleures mélodies pop de notre histoire. Pourquoi ses chansons avaient besoin d'exister dans un monde comme le nôtre?

«En français, je peux dire plus de choses. Comme ce n'est pas ma langue maternelle, je me sens un peu protégé»

Dans cet album, votre côté coquin, voire sexuel, revient à plusieurs reprises. Pourquoi?

 

En français, je peux dire plus de choses. Comme ce n'est pas ma langue maternelle, je me sens un peu protégé. Je peux parler de sexe, d'amour ou de ce côté charnel avec beaucoup plus de poésie et d'élégance qu'en anglais. Par exemple, lorsque je chante «Une bulle, on baise» (ndlr.: la chanson «Apocalypse Calypso») en français, c'est beau.

 

Vous vous ouvrez aussi plus facilement sur votre vie privée. Vous nommez même votre compagnon depuis vingt ans, Andy, dans l'un des titres.

 

Exact. Dans «Moi, Andy et Paris», je parle des tensions dans un couple qui dure. Il ne parle pas français, il le comprend juste un peu. J'aimais bien l'idée de me confier de manière candide.

 

Vous serez à l'Arena de Genève le 28 mars prochain avec une tournée internationale dans laquelle vous vous investissez comme jamais.

 

Exactement. Je la produis complètement. C'est la première fois que mes ateliers réalisent le côté création. C'est génial, mais c'est beaucoup de travail. Tout sera artisanal et la charge poétique sera encore plus forte.

 

«La télévision, il faut en faire avec beaucoup de candeur. Dès que l'on commence à penser aux caméras et que l'on ne s'amuse plus, il faut partir»

 

On vous retrouve aussi sur TF1 en tant que coach pour «The Voice». Pourquoi avoir quitté le télé-crochet pour finalement revenir cette saison?

 

J'avais besoin de faire un break. La télévision, il faut en faire avec beaucoup de candeur et de manière naturelle. Dès que l'on commence à penser aux caméras et que l'on ne s'amuse plus, il faut partir. C'est ce que j'ai fait. Et j'aime bien mélanger des projets avec un public populaire ou parfois pointu. 

 

C'est pour cela que vous avez accepté de présenter l'Eurovision en Italie en 2022?

 

Oui, car c'était improbable. C'est une fête qui était toujours pour les freaks ou les outsiders, mais un public énorme la regarde. On disait que, depuis ABBA et Céline Dion, peu d'artistes avaient réussi à lancer une carrière en participant à ce concours. Ce n'est plus vrai. Des tubes planétaires explosent grâce à cet événement avec des artistes souvent pointus. C'est l'exemple parfait que high culture et pop culture peuvent coexister.

 

 

Mika en concert à l'Arena de Genève le 28 mars 2024, billetterie ouverte sur Ticketcorner.

 

 

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Mika: “In French, I talk about love or sex with more poetry”

The Lebanese-born singer is releasing his first album in the language of Molière and will present it at the Geneva Arena on March 28.

“I liked this record so much in terms of production and creation. It’s a new playground,” Mika immediately tells us over the phone. The reason? «Pour que ta tête fleurisse toujours» is the first album by the Beirut-born artist only in French. A project that began following the death of his mother in 2021. She suffered from brain cancer.

Before leaving, she pushed him once again to surpass himself in his art. A challenge which resulted in twelve songs in the language of Molière and allowed him to be even more transparent and in tune with his emotions.

Mika is preparing to leave on a major international tour to present his titles and he can be found every Saturday, on TF1, as coach of “The Voice”. At 40, he still doesn't seem to know the definition of the word "relax"! Interview.

“So that your head always blooms” is a funny phrase...

(Laughs.) This is one last provocation from my mother before she disappears. We have both worked together forever. She trained me until a few months before her death. Since she couldn't go out and buy me a birthday present, she did it herself. She drew me a little sketch with the message: “May your head always bloom.” Through this, she told me: “My brain is shutting down, I hope yours continues to flourish.” She always pushed me to work on my creativity. It was a nice way to respond to death, without becoming a sad victim.

This is your first album entirely in the language of Molière. Was your creativity expressed in French as you wanted?

I wanted to take a risk before releasing a new album in English. In my head, it's not a variety record. I wanted to do a pop project in French while keeping my Anglo-Saxon culture. I used a different part of my brain that allowed me to be even more creative.

In the title “30 seconds” you talk about this short moment when a life can change. Did this really happen?

 

The idea for this song came to me in a bar in Los Angeles. I was with my friend Skyler Stronestreet, who has written for Lady Gaga and Kesha, among others. We looked around and asked ourselves, “If we had thirty seconds, who would we fall in love with?” It's a little game that we do every time we go out for beers. It was called “Imaginary Loves”. Try it, it's funny!

If you had thirty seconds with anyone right now, who would it be with and to tell them what?

(He thinks for a long time.) Have you seen “Maestro” on Netflix? The film has great qualities, but it didn't make me dream. He's talking about Leonard Bernstein. He is a composer of incredible power. If I could, I would ask him where his melodies come from, which, in my opinion, are among the best pop melodies in our history. Why did his songs need to exist in a world like ours?

 

 

         «In French, I can say more things. As it is not my mother tongue, I feel a little protected»

 

 

In this album, your naughty, even sexual side comes up several times. For what?

In French, I can say more things. As it is not my mother tongue, I feel a little protected. I can talk about sex, love or this carnal side with much more poetry and elegance than in English. For example, when I sing “A bubble, we kiss” (editor’s note: the song “Apocalypse Calypso”) in French, it’s beautiful.

You also open up more easily about your private life. You even name your partner of twenty years, Andy, in one of the titles.

Exact. In “Me, Andy and Paris”, I talk about the tensions in a lasting relationship. He doesn't speak French, he just understands it a little. I liked the idea of confiding in a candid way.

You will be at the Geneva Arena on March 28 with an international tour in which you are investing like never before.

Exactly. I completely produce it. This is the first time that my workshops have carried out the creation side. It's great, but it's a lot of work. Everything will be artisanal and the poetic charge will be even stronger.

        «Television must be done with a lot of candor. As soon as you start thinking about cameras and you're no longer having fun, you have to leave.»

We also find you on TF1 as a coach for “The Voice”. Why did you leave TV hooking to finally return this season?

I needed a break. Television must be done with a lot of candor and in a natural way. As soon as you start thinking about cameras and you're not having fun anymore, you have to leave. That's what I did. And I like to mix projects with a popular or sometimes specialized audience.

Is this why you agreed to present Eurovision in Italy in 2022?

Yes, because it was improbable. It's a party that was always for the freaks or the underdogs, but a huge audience watches it. It was said that, since ABBA and Céline Dion, few artists had succeeded in launching a career by participating in this competition. This is no longer true. Global hits explode thanks to this event with often cutting-edge artists. It's the perfect example that high culture and pop culture can coexist.