Bono, Church Bells and Bomb Squads

While I was in Boston this past weekend for a wedding (of a certain contributor to a certain movie blog), a Saturday morning walk turned into a scene out of Blown Away. As I headed past the Common, I discovered that the bomb squad had cordoned off a large area of the street - just like in the 1994 thriller starring Tommy Lee Jones as an Irish serial bomber seeking revenge against Jeff Bridges' police instructor. It was amazing to see the actual Boston Bomb Squad in action. It was unclear whether the suspected bomb was just an abandoned briefcase on the sidewalk or what, but when I spotted a guy wearing a padded suit (I took a photo, left) I knew this was the real deal. Suddenly several police officers put their hands up to cover their ears, so I decided it'd be wise to do the same. I couldn't see the explosion from my vantage point -- I'm sure the Bomb Squad had encased the package to shield the crowd of onlookers from any nasty surprises -- but the boom echoed down the street.

As if this strange real-life homage to Blown Away weren't enough, I later remembered that the movie also featured Boston's Catholic Churches (like the one in which the ceremony took place) and U2 music (which accompanied the bride and groom's first dance).

All we were missing was Tommy Lee Jones (who's alma mater, Harvard, just so happened to be the site of the rehearsal dinner and reception) singing along to Bono's lyrics...

Scene from Blown Away featuring U2's "With or Without You"

Scene from Blown Away featuring U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"

A few more photos I snapped on Tremont Street:

Tracking Film Buzz through Online Trailers

Entertainment news rag Variety and online video measurement company Visible Measures have partnered up to provide an Online Film Trailer Chart to track the popularity of film trailers on the web. This should be a cool way to keep tabs on the buzz building (or dissipating) around a new film.

One-Line Reviews

Rose Byrne and Nicolas Cage look for meaning in a string of numbers in Knowing (now on DVD).

Here are few quick hits for you, in case you're weighing your entertainment options for this weekend:

• Even though it might not measure up to Borat, the hilariously raunchy Bruno gives new meaning to the phrase "big swinging dick." 2.5 PB Jars
  
  
• A tight screenplay, jaw-dropping action sequences, and quality performances by Nic Cage and Rose Byrne (Damages) make Knowing my must-rent DVD of the week. 2.5 PB Jars
  
  
• I wouldn't say Tom Cruise phoned in his Valkyrie performance, but he certainly coudn't elevate it above countless other middle-of-the-road political thrillers. 2 PB Jars
  
  
• The trailer for The Haunting in Connecticut (with its weird piano accompaniment and bizarre imagery) was far more haunting than the movie itself. 1 PB Jar
  
  
• Even if you stopped watching "ER" years ago, you'll want to catch up on the final few episodes of this classic series on NBC.com. (My favorite: Season 15's "Old Times," with a story that features departed regulars George Clooney, Eriq La Salle, Julianna Margulies, and Noah Wyle.) 2 PB Jars
  
  
• In a desert of summer reruns, HBO's "True Blood" (Season 1 on DVD; Season 2 in progress) is the oasis you've been searching for. 2.5 PB Jars