A few weeks back Jessica and I were watching the old boob tube. Flipping around, we (she) eventually landed on the Oprah Winfrey Network, which was airing an interview with Maya Angelou. I heard a very powerful thing then, though I don't have the quote verbatim. Angelou was saying that no matter what she sees another human doing, she must accept the fact that she herself is capable of doing that.
Whoa.
This is something like total empathy. It's much different from saying "I can understand where that guy was coming from when he embezzled a million dollars from needy orphans." It's saying "I am entirely capable of embezzling a million dollars from needy orphans." In essence, she's saying we're all human — all this depravity, violence, greed, etc. in the world is shared completely by everyone on the planet. She didn't go into much more detail on this, but this small bit is enough on its own. Because it's easy enough to vilify someone — it happens every day. If we vilify someone, it creates a distance between us and them and it comforts us to know that their "evil" is unique to their being and so we're safe. This is a psychological safeguard.
While logging on this morning to compose this post, I noticed a quote on Facebook that someone attributed to the Dalai Lama:
Each one of us is responsible for the whole of humankind. We need to think of each other really as brothers and sisters and to be concerned for each other’s welfare. Rather than working solely to acquire wealth, we need to do something meaningful, something directed seriously towards the welfare of humanity as a whole.
-The Dalai Lama's facebook post today.
A good tie-in, no?
I suppose I started thinking about Angelou's quote again this morning after (1) viewing Blue Velvet this past weekend and (2) reading David Foster Wallace's take on David Lynch in his (DFW's) essay entitled "David Lynch Keeps His Head" (the link is to the Premiere magazine article version; I had read the extended version in Wallace's book A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again).
On viewing Blue Velvet: It was a movie I didn't really connect with emotionally. I felt the cliché-like atmosphere, the campy old timey detective stuff, mixed in with the starkly portrayed sexual depravity and violence to be, in short, disturbing. I didn't feel like the movie said much to me — I felt it was awkwardly paced and trying to hard too be symbolic.
Wallace argues that the disturbing nature of the movie is what makes it so great. Lynch doesn't vilify Frank Booth. He gets the audience to see the sexual depravity through a naive, young man's (Jeffrey's) eyes, and then Lynch shows that this young man is also capable of this depravity and violence. And since Jeffrey is the main "eyes" of the film, this means the audience is implicitly capable of this depravity and violence.
Wallace is particularly focused on his own emotional involvement with Jeffrey's participation in sexual battery and in the scene where Frank Booth sits in the front seat of the car, turns towards the camera (AKA Jeffrey AKA the audience) and says "You're just like me." There is much more analysis in Wallace's essay, if you're interested in that kind of thing.
Wallace argues that the disturbing nature of the film goes against the typical Western narrative of "bad" bubbling up from underneath some dark dank orifice and "good" rising to the occasion to defeat it. He's saying "bad" and "good" work in tandem in the film, even after (spoiler alert) Frank Booth is shot in the head and Jeffrey gets the (good) girl in the end.
So maybe the disturbing stuff I felt during the movie was more of a need to vilify and distance the evil from myself. I felt a similar depravity throughout Funny Games which, I think, was more depraved and more meta and less artistic than Blue Velvet. I wonder what Wallace would have thought of that movie.
In the end, I think it comes down to what you experienced during the art. I'm very interested in the experience of art and what people like and why and why people continue to go see certain types of movies (books/plays/etc.) and not other types of movies (books/plays/etc.). Kanye West, at one time or another, more or less yelled out "Well, did you like the song or not?!" (Which, I think, is [justifiably] every artist's basic response to professional critics.)
You can judge the effectiveness (and maybe even the "goodness") of a piece of art based solely on your emotional/visceral experience. But be reminded that intellectualism is also part of what it means to be human — this is why Maya Angelou must constantly remind herself that she is capable of doing anything that any human does. She must tell herself this because she doesn't naturally feel this (but she knows it).
What I mean is that you might think a movie is trash, which is fine. But then if you read about the movie and see what other people got out of it... it complicates things. And maybe it changes the way you respond to art. And I suppose this is why professional critics exist — to give the intellectual side of the art, however pompous and ineffectual that is (compared to the art itself) in order to deepen the experience of the art.
I'm an artist and a critic myself and I've been wondering for years what role critics play in everything and why criticism is needed. And I didn't know it when I started writing this post, but I think I just figured out a little answer to that.
Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 01, 2011
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Responses to Wilco's "Ashes of American Flags."
Post Preamble: Having submitted my official review of Wilco's new DVD, I now feel free to post this. It will probably not interest the majority of people on the internet, but it was a lot of fun to do. And now, after seeing the DVD a few times, I will have to scoot down and correct a few things...
* * *
Wilco's new live DVD arrived in the mail yesterday (which, at the time of writing was Monday, April 20). Here are my real time responses to watching it for the first time.
-Tweedy starts out in a brown leather jacket and felt cowboy hat. Brings a tear to my eye.
-Very much in the visual style of Sunken Treasure: Jeff Tweedy Live In The Pacific Northwest, which means I should be in a for a treat. Rain on bus windows, intimate, close-up shots (like in the recent Rolling Stones concert film, Shine A Light).
-"Ashes of American Flags" --- an appropriate starting song, directors. Props. [Edit: Christoph Green and Brendan Canty, of Fugazi fame, were directors for this.]
-They're only playing a sound check! To an empty room! They even sound great playing a sound check! Great choice in editing there --- revealing the empty room only partway through the song.
-Nels Cline should have a five-minute solo on every song.
-Alright! White, rosy Elvis-style suit for Tweedy on the next song!
-I can't really believe that Glenn Kotche plays with a traditional drumstick grip. That guy is a beast.
-Nels Cline's Fender Jaguar and stack of Vox amps will haunt my dreams. [Edit: Actually, I should have known that the Vox amps are Tweedy's. I haven't read through this yet, but for an uncompromising look at Nels Cline's gear, take a look here. Yikes! According to Wikipedia, "Currently, Nels is using the Schroeder DB7 red amplifier built for him by Tim Schroeder of Schroeder Guitar & Amp Repair in Chicago, IL."]
-Glenn really needs to work on his clothing style. He has long, sweaty hair, and a sort of mechanic's shirt on. He looks like he wants to deliver me a pizza.
-Nels' clothing style matches his playing: smart and sharp.
-Sometimes Jeff's eyes look like he's eating Sour Patch Kids when he's singing.
-"Handshake Drugs" is one of the infamous three-chord Wilco songs that works SO well. I am truly baffled as to how those songs work.
-Nels knows when to keep it simple. Two notes can work just as well as 200. Neil Young only needed one on "Cinnamon Girl."
-Okay, Nels is back to 200 notes per second. That's cool too.
-Bands are great, but once you're in them for more than a decade, you start to look like a baseball mitt.
-"The Late Greats" wouldn't be one of my choices to make the cut, but it's turning out to be good. Just an absurd song. But now it's absurd... with horns.
-Good stage banter, guys.
-"Kingpin" is another mediocre song choice, but at least it's meaty. (Nels' slide playing AND fuzzy green guitar strap saved this song performance from mediocrity.)
-Glenn has a frilly yellow pirate shirt that makes him look more like a flamenco dancer than a pirate.
-Jeff is doing his scratchy, high-pitched scream. Weird and gross.
-"Wishful Thinking" is a good chill-out song, but I hope they kick out the jams soon.
-Hmm... another soundcheck song. I guess I would prefer performances with a live crowd.
-I will accept "Impossible Germany" as a suitable song choice, and I will wait anxiously for great guitar sections.
-Nels Cline should have a five-minute solo on every song.
-The guys are lying around and complaining about what rock and roll does to their bodies. Hahaha.
-VIA CHICAGO.
-Immediately following "Via Chicago," Jeff makes a perfectly placed joke about steroids. Awesome.
-The only song that anyone used a 12-string acoustic guitar on for this DVD was "Heavy Metal Drummer." Weird. [Edit: Nels used a 12-string electric on this song too! And on a few other songs.]
-"War On War" is a pitch-perfect closer. Mid-tempo rocker, but it can get gritty.
-Now for the bonus features.
What a great concert video. It nicely complements Tweedy's solo acoustic DVD, and it's a brighter side of Wilco than what is shown in I Am Trying To Break Your Heart. Nels Cline is a madman superstar, and everyone else is great too, it's just that it's very hard to look past Nels sometimes...
Wilco is definitely one of the finest bands I've ever seen live. It doesn't hurt that they have a very extensive, versatile catalog behind them and that it seems like they will never lose steam.
Buy it. Watch it. Repeat.
Wilco's new live DVD arrived in the mail yesterday (which, at the time of writing was Monday, April 20). Here are my real time responses to watching it for the first time.
-Tweedy starts out in a brown leather jacket and felt cowboy hat. Brings a tear to my eye.
-Very much in the visual style of Sunken Treasure: Jeff Tweedy Live In The Pacific Northwest, which means I should be in a for a treat. Rain on bus windows, intimate, close-up shots (like in the recent Rolling Stones concert film, Shine A Light).
-"Ashes of American Flags" --- an appropriate starting song, directors. Props. [Edit: Christoph Green and Brendan Canty, of Fugazi fame, were directors for this.]
-They're only playing a sound check! To an empty room! They even sound great playing a sound check! Great choice in editing there --- revealing the empty room only partway through the song.
-Nels Cline should have a five-minute solo on every song.
-Alright! White, rosy Elvis-style suit for Tweedy on the next song!
-I can't really believe that Glenn Kotche plays with a traditional drumstick grip. That guy is a beast.
-Nels Cline's Fender Jaguar and stack of Vox amps will haunt my dreams. [Edit: Actually, I should have known that the Vox amps are Tweedy's. I haven't read through this yet, but for an uncompromising look at Nels Cline's gear, take a look here. Yikes! According to Wikipedia, "Currently, Nels is using the Schroeder DB7 red amplifier built for him by Tim Schroeder of Schroeder Guitar & Amp Repair in Chicago, IL."]
-Glenn really needs to work on his clothing style. He has long, sweaty hair, and a sort of mechanic's shirt on. He looks like he wants to deliver me a pizza.
-Nels' clothing style matches his playing: smart and sharp.
-Sometimes Jeff's eyes look like he's eating Sour Patch Kids when he's singing.
-"Handshake Drugs" is one of the infamous three-chord Wilco songs that works SO well. I am truly baffled as to how those songs work.
-Nels knows when to keep it simple. Two notes can work just as well as 200. Neil Young only needed one on "Cinnamon Girl."
-Okay, Nels is back to 200 notes per second. That's cool too.
-Bands are great, but once you're in them for more than a decade, you start to look like a baseball mitt.
-"The Late Greats" wouldn't be one of my choices to make the cut, but it's turning out to be good. Just an absurd song. But now it's absurd... with horns.
-Good stage banter, guys.
-"Kingpin" is another mediocre song choice, but at least it's meaty. (Nels' slide playing AND fuzzy green guitar strap saved this song performance from mediocrity.)
-Glenn has a frilly yellow pirate shirt that makes him look more like a flamenco dancer than a pirate.
-Jeff is doing his scratchy, high-pitched scream. Weird and gross.
-"Wishful Thinking" is a good chill-out song, but I hope they kick out the jams soon.
-Hmm... another soundcheck song. I guess I would prefer performances with a live crowd.
-I will accept "Impossible Germany" as a suitable song choice, and I will wait anxiously for great guitar sections.
-Nels Cline should have a five-minute solo on every song.
-The guys are lying around and complaining about what rock and roll does to their bodies. Hahaha.
-VIA CHICAGO.
-Immediately following "Via Chicago," Jeff makes a perfectly placed joke about steroids. Awesome.
-The only song that anyone used a 12-string acoustic guitar on for this DVD was "Heavy Metal Drummer." Weird. [Edit: Nels used a 12-string electric on this song too! And on a few other songs.]
-"War On War" is a pitch-perfect closer. Mid-tempo rocker, but it can get gritty.
-Now for the bonus features.
What a great concert video. It nicely complements Tweedy's solo acoustic DVD, and it's a brighter side of Wilco than what is shown in I Am Trying To Break Your Heart. Nels Cline is a madman superstar, and everyone else is great too, it's just that it's very hard to look past Nels sometimes...
Wilco is definitely one of the finest bands I've ever seen live. It doesn't hurt that they have a very extensive, versatile catalog behind them and that it seems like they will never lose steam.
Buy it. Watch it. Repeat.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Make 'em Laugh.
Samir just did an interesting post. Since it's on laughter, and since everybody laughs, and since the economy is in such a state, and since the news is all doom and gloom every day, I thought I'd ride on his coattails (which are strung behind the A.V. Club's coattails, mind you). This might snowball into a MySpace/Facebook/Twitter-type meme, but so be it.
To start: This is not one of the things that always makes me laugh, but I thought it to be an apt introduction.
Singing in the Rain: "Make 'em Laugh"
1) The Big Lebowski
Both lists that inspired this post focused mainly on comedians and moments in television. But I can't rightfully talk about humor without mentioning the Coen Brothers' crowning comedic achievement, The Big Lebowski. It's the movie that I can quote the most (and that I do quote the most in day-to-day life), and I rarely turn down an opportunity to see it. I've seen it in a movie theater, in a bar (for an event hosted around it), and in countless homes, on countless television sets. I even chatted to David Bazan about it after a concert (he said that he watches it about once a month).
I own it both on DVD and VHS, but have yet to sit through the full edited version for TV (...someday...). So I'll give you a taste of the TBL comedy in a clip from the TV version that, perhaps, makes the movie even funnier.
A Stranger In The Alps
(If you haven't seen it, ask me what the phrase in the movie really is... or better yet, go out and see it!)
2) Calvin & Hobbes
I've been reading these comic strips since about the fourth grade. As I get older, I revisit them often, still laughing out loud maybe once every 20 or so strips. I also tend to notice bigger words that I didn't understand when I was younger. Bill Watterson is a genius: philosopher, cultural critic, cartoonist, comedian.
3) Mitch Hedberg
I had the distinct pleasure of seeing funnyman Mitch Hedberg at Florida State before his premature death. I can't believe it's already been four years. The other night, Jess and I were sitting around at home on a rainy weekend night. We sat blankly at the computer, wondering what funny things we could find. Suddenly it came to me: Mitch! Look up Mitch Hedberg! A quick YouTube search brings up endless entertainment. Here's a pretty good clip:
(I think of Mitch every single time I come across across an escalator. Even when it's working fine.)
4) Jim Gaffigan
I also had the distinct pleasure of seeing Jim Gaffigan live. Again, it was at FSU. His unique quirk is to perfectly mock himself in a higher voice. He'll be rambling on about Waffle House, or manatees, and then he'll cut through with a higher voice: "Hey! That's insensitive! What if there were manatees in the audience!" It's a gimmick, yes, but it works every time, and I haven't seen another comedian do anything like it.
On Bacon
5) Dane Cook
I have yet to see Mr. Cook live, and I loathe the movies he's in. But his Retaliation album is always good for a quick laugh. Vicious Circle, his old stand-up special, also keeps the laughs coming, even after a dozen viewings. I usually stop to watch it when I see it's on TV again.
6) Simon Pegg and Nick Frost
Rather than re-invent the wheel, I'll refer you to Samir's insights on Simon Pegg and Nick Frost together (his #9). What he said.
7) Apatow et al.
And, rounding out my top 7 (leave me alone, I'm getting tired) is the rash of movies inspired by Judd Apatow. Although they may have had lesser known achievements before this, The 40-Year-Old Virgin was like the Wu-Tang Clan's first album. It collected all these comedians and then launched their careers. (Again, you could debate about what all these guys were doing beforehand, but you won't really convince me, because I wasn't hip enough to know about them before this movie.)
I must say that I thought Virgin was going to be a dumb movie from the looks of the trailer. But I went to see it anyway, and I was pleasantly proved wrong. Follow-ups like Superbad, Role Models, and I Love You, Man have given me hope after the string of American Pie-type stuff that I never really got into.
To start: This is not one of the things that always makes me laugh, but I thought it to be an apt introduction.
Singing in the Rain: "Make 'em Laugh"
1) The Big Lebowski
Both lists that inspired this post focused mainly on comedians and moments in television. But I can't rightfully talk about humor without mentioning the Coen Brothers' crowning comedic achievement, The Big Lebowski. It's the movie that I can quote the most (and that I do quote the most in day-to-day life), and I rarely turn down an opportunity to see it. I've seen it in a movie theater, in a bar (for an event hosted around it), and in countless homes, on countless television sets. I even chatted to David Bazan about it after a concert (he said that he watches it about once a month).
I own it both on DVD and VHS, but have yet to sit through the full edited version for TV (...someday...). So I'll give you a taste of the TBL comedy in a clip from the TV version that, perhaps, makes the movie even funnier.
A Stranger In The Alps
(If you haven't seen it, ask me what the phrase in the movie really is... or better yet, go out and see it!)
2) Calvin & Hobbes
I've been reading these comic strips since about the fourth grade. As I get older, I revisit them often, still laughing out loud maybe once every 20 or so strips. I also tend to notice bigger words that I didn't understand when I was younger. Bill Watterson is a genius: philosopher, cultural critic, cartoonist, comedian.
3) Mitch Hedberg
I had the distinct pleasure of seeing funnyman Mitch Hedberg at Florida State before his premature death. I can't believe it's already been four years. The other night, Jess and I were sitting around at home on a rainy weekend night. We sat blankly at the computer, wondering what funny things we could find. Suddenly it came to me: Mitch! Look up Mitch Hedberg! A quick YouTube search brings up endless entertainment. Here's a pretty good clip:
(I think of Mitch every single time I come across across an escalator. Even when it's working fine.)
4) Jim Gaffigan
I also had the distinct pleasure of seeing Jim Gaffigan live. Again, it was at FSU. His unique quirk is to perfectly mock himself in a higher voice. He'll be rambling on about Waffle House, or manatees, and then he'll cut through with a higher voice: "Hey! That's insensitive! What if there were manatees in the audience!" It's a gimmick, yes, but it works every time, and I haven't seen another comedian do anything like it.
On Bacon
5) Dane Cook
I have yet to see Mr. Cook live, and I loathe the movies he's in. But his Retaliation album is always good for a quick laugh. Vicious Circle, his old stand-up special, also keeps the laughs coming, even after a dozen viewings. I usually stop to watch it when I see it's on TV again.
6) Simon Pegg and Nick Frost
Rather than re-invent the wheel, I'll refer you to Samir's insights on Simon Pegg and Nick Frost together (his #9). What he said.
7) Apatow et al.
And, rounding out my top 7 (leave me alone, I'm getting tired) is the rash of movies inspired by Judd Apatow. Although they may have had lesser known achievements before this, The 40-Year-Old Virgin was like the Wu-Tang Clan's first album. It collected all these comedians and then launched their careers. (Again, you could debate about what all these guys were doing beforehand, but you won't really convince me, because I wasn't hip enough to know about them before this movie.)
I must say that I thought Virgin was going to be a dumb movie from the looks of the trailer. But I went to see it anyway, and I was pleasantly proved wrong. Follow-ups like Superbad, Role Models, and I Love You, Man have given me hope after the string of American Pie-type stuff that I never really got into.
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Suckdog Millionaire.
Top Ten Reasons Not To See Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire
10) It's predictable.
9) It's cheesy.
8) It's boring.
7) Bad acting.
6) Bad directing.
5) Bad story.
4) Bad cuts/shots/et al.
3) It's actually worse than watching a real episode of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?"
2) The lesson is to pursue your ideal woman, no matter how much of a bitch she is.
1) 20 Million Rupees, which would technically make you a rupee millionaire, translates to just over $400,000. It should have been called "Suckdog Thousandaire."
10) It's predictable.
9) It's cheesy.
8) It's boring.
7) Bad acting.
6) Bad directing.
5) Bad story.
4) Bad cuts/shots/et al.
3) It's actually worse than watching a real episode of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?"
2) The lesson is to pursue your ideal woman, no matter how much of a bitch she is.
1) 20 Million Rupees, which would technically make you a rupee millionaire, translates to just over $400,000. It should have been called "Suckdog Thousandaire."
Monday, December 22, 2008
Citizen Kane.
I've checked out Citizen Kane from my local library three times now. But it wasn't until this past Sunday that I actually got around to watching it.
It's the epic story of America's most powerful man, Charles Foster Kane, who managed to burn through a sizable inheritance by pouring it all into his newspaper, The Inquirer. It edged out Casablanca and the grossly overrated The Godfather as AFI's top movie of all time.
Unfortunately, thanks to pop culture (and, specifically, The Simpsons), I've known the ending to Citizen Kane long before I knew anything else about the film. It's a shame, really, considering that it's a bit of a "surprise" (artificial? manufactured?) ending.
I can see why the movie was so highly rated, though. I didn't expect such beauty. Its cinematography easily rivals anything going on today (indeed, it's a lot more experimental than what I would have thought and what happens now -- a simple conversation in a room filmed from the floor's perspective?), and its sheer scope (and length) lend to its epic weight. It's a surprisingly lucid black and white film. Costumes and makeup (which was important since characters are shown at different ages) are very good, and the story is very good. The pacing and development, however, are a little off. It's a grand movie of a grand tale, but it's not absolutely perfect.
On a side note, which is really all they deserve, I also watched Chocolat and The Devil Wears Prada last week. ... Okay, for mindless entertainment, they actually weren't that bad.
It's the epic story of America's most powerful man, Charles Foster Kane, who managed to burn through a sizable inheritance by pouring it all into his newspaper, The Inquirer. It edged out Casablanca and the grossly overrated The Godfather as AFI's top movie of all time.
Unfortunately, thanks to pop culture (and, specifically, The Simpsons), I've known the ending to Citizen Kane long before I knew anything else about the film. It's a shame, really, considering that it's a bit of a "surprise" (artificial? manufactured?) ending.
I can see why the movie was so highly rated, though. I didn't expect such beauty. Its cinematography easily rivals anything going on today (indeed, it's a lot more experimental than what I would have thought and what happens now -- a simple conversation in a room filmed from the floor's perspective?), and its sheer scope (and length) lend to its epic weight. It's a surprisingly lucid black and white film. Costumes and makeup (which was important since characters are shown at different ages) are very good, and the story is very good. The pacing and development, however, are a little off. It's a grand movie of a grand tale, but it's not absolutely perfect.
On a side note, which is really all they deserve, I also watched Chocolat and The Devil Wears Prada last week. ... Okay, for mindless entertainment, they actually weren't that bad.
Monday, December 15, 2008
2 Movies, 1 Book.
As I continue to struggle with a seemingly endless amount of options following the completion of my current degree (Ph.D. program?, job?, both?, which kinds?), I'm constantly consuming media in what I think is my extended window of opportunity for learning about other fields. (Which is not to say that I don't think I can learn about other things after I get a job, a career, or a specialty in academics. It is more of a personal belief I have based on things I learned so far that I don't want to take the time to explain at this moment. So there.)
For example, I have about 10 books checked out from the library on different subjects, ranging from sociology, psychology, language, and history. A few of the titles:
The Psychology of Abortion
A Mind of Its Own: A Cultural History of the Penis
The Mind of a Mnemonist
The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less
Okay -- I'll concede that all of those have tenuous ties to psychology.
Nevertheless! The purpose of this post is to recount the things I did this weekend...
I picked up The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill from the student library on a recommendation I heard from one of my classes this semester. It's a 2005 documentary (with a soundtrack straight out of 1986) about a free spirit guy, Mark Bittner, who moved to California in search of a music career, then did a few odd jobs before realizing that he didn't want to work at all. Somehow, he ended up in an unused cottage on Telegraph Hill in San Francisco. The owners of the property were okay with it... until they decided they wanted to renovate the place. So Mark is given the boot at the end of the movie, and he leaves behind his precious parrots, but don't worry -- it's not all bad in the end.
This movie was very powerful. Mark is a very spiritual dude, and it brought out a bohemian part of me. I too wanted to grow my hair long, shed my office job, and just feed the parrots. Of course, he made a lot of sacrifices doing this, but that's to be expected.
Highly recommended.
Sunday held 2006's The Fountain. It's a beautifully filmed, hard to categorize movie. It's got elements of sci-fi, fantasy, and even a little bit of horror. But it's also weirdly realistic and you can easily identify with it.
It's a very powerful movie, but when I tell you the plot line, it will sound very cheesy. Here we go: There's this dude. And there's this chick. There's a love story. And there's a story about immortality. And time-traveling. Well, not exactly time-traveling, so much as time-hopping in the narrative. So it's a love story across the ages. (The trailer said 1500 A.D., 2000 A.D., and 2500 A.D., though there's no specific mentions of these dates within the movie itself.)
I'd also recommend seeing this movie, though I'd suggest watching it on a fairly nice day, so you can go out and appreciate nature and society after watching it. (I.E. -- It's a bit of a downer at times.)
The book I breezed through this weekend was by renowned writer Margaret Atwood. Titled Payback: Debt and the Shadow Side of Wealth, I thought it would be an interesting read. It was. (Excerpt here.)
But it wasn't what I expected. Instead of a writer's perspective and analysis of the current debt situation, it was instead a writer's perspective on the term debt and it's meaning throughout the ages. Atwood is an apt student of the arts and humanities (especially plays), and she does a few sweeping analyses of religion, plays, literature, and other forms of the arts in her survey of what debt has meant, how it's repaid, and how it helps and hurts both the creditors and the debtors.
There are no practical tips here, but there are a few neat revelations. Of how Ebeneezer Scrooge resembles Faust, of how Shakespearean drama fits in, of how religions view moral/spiritual debt, et al. So, if you'd like to read about the philosophical concept of debt, give this a shot. If you want some more practical tips, check elsewhere.
Overall, it was a good weekend.
For example, I have about 10 books checked out from the library on different subjects, ranging from sociology, psychology, language, and history. A few of the titles:
The Psychology of Abortion
A Mind of Its Own: A Cultural History of the Penis
The Mind of a Mnemonist
The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less
Okay -- I'll concede that all of those have tenuous ties to psychology.
Nevertheless! The purpose of this post is to recount the things I did this weekend...
Movie 1
I picked up The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill from the student library on a recommendation I heard from one of my classes this semester. It's a 2005 documentary (with a soundtrack straight out of 1986) about a free spirit guy, Mark Bittner, who moved to California in search of a music career, then did a few odd jobs before realizing that he didn't want to work at all. Somehow, he ended up in an unused cottage on Telegraph Hill in San Francisco. The owners of the property were okay with it... until they decided they wanted to renovate the place. So Mark is given the boot at the end of the movie, and he leaves behind his precious parrots, but don't worry -- it's not all bad in the end.This movie was very powerful. Mark is a very spiritual dude, and it brought out a bohemian part of me. I too wanted to grow my hair long, shed my office job, and just feed the parrots. Of course, he made a lot of sacrifices doing this, but that's to be expected.
Highly recommended.
Movie 2
Sunday held 2006's The Fountain. It's a beautifully filmed, hard to categorize movie. It's got elements of sci-fi, fantasy, and even a little bit of horror. But it's also weirdly realistic and you can easily identify with it. It's a very powerful movie, but when I tell you the plot line, it will sound very cheesy. Here we go: There's this dude. And there's this chick. There's a love story. And there's a story about immortality. And time-traveling. Well, not exactly time-traveling, so much as time-hopping in the narrative. So it's a love story across the ages. (The trailer said 1500 A.D., 2000 A.D., and 2500 A.D., though there's no specific mentions of these dates within the movie itself.)
I'd also recommend seeing this movie, though I'd suggest watching it on a fairly nice day, so you can go out and appreciate nature and society after watching it. (I.E. -- It's a bit of a downer at times.)
Book
The book I breezed through this weekend was by renowned writer Margaret Atwood. Titled Payback: Debt and the Shadow Side of Wealth, I thought it would be an interesting read. It was. (Excerpt here.)But it wasn't what I expected. Instead of a writer's perspective and analysis of the current debt situation, it was instead a writer's perspective on the term debt and it's meaning throughout the ages. Atwood is an apt student of the arts and humanities (especially plays), and she does a few sweeping analyses of religion, plays, literature, and other forms of the arts in her survey of what debt has meant, how it's repaid, and how it helps and hurts both the creditors and the debtors.
There are no practical tips here, but there are a few neat revelations. Of how Ebeneezer Scrooge resembles Faust, of how Shakespearean drama fits in, of how religions view moral/spiritual debt, et al. So, if you'd like to read about the philosophical concept of debt, give this a shot. If you want some more practical tips, check elsewhere.
Overall, it was a good weekend.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Dont Look Back
D.A. Pennebaker's Dont Look Back is supposed to be a seminal film. I didn't find it to be. It was certainly an intimate look at Bob Dylan during his tumultuous early years. But almost too much like Dylan's music and lyrics, the film lacked a sense of direction, a sense of purpose. It was all put out there for everyone to judge, but I don't think enough of the story was shown for anyone to make any sort of interesting conclusions.
The film shows equal amounts concert performances and backstage action. The performances are captivating; the power Dylan holds with a single guitar and his words over thousands of people is remarkable. The backstage action is less remarkable -- there are the expected squabbles, the self-isolating superstar, the posse, the bad-haircut manager, the ignored girlfriend.
But through all of this, you only get a few moments where you see the disaffected Bob Dylan, the youth who sought fame through his music, who obtained it, and who didn't know what the hell to do with it. His music of this period might portray a folk poet who is outspoken with his lyrics, yet softspoken with his delivery. But offstage, he's a jittery mess: aimless, confused, seeking respite from all the attention yet still thriving on that attention.
A few scenes stuck out in my mind. There was a drawn-out section where Joan Baez was playing guitar and singing. She was sitting right behind Dylan, who was at a desk with a typewriter. I thought that she was singing rather loudly, but Dylan didn't seem to pay attention. Frankly, it would have bothered me if someone was doing that while I was trying to write, but Dylan would have a pregnant pause, then start pecking away at the keys again. I think this was a telling moment -- one that showed their relationship almost outright: Baez was so close to things, but Dylan couldn't pay attention, absorbed in his own world of things.
Another fiery moment comes when someone breaks a glass during one of Dylan's performances (I think the glass might have been onstage or somewhere where he could see it). After the show, Dylan is going off on some dude, just yelling and yelling about how he didn't want someone to get hurt by the glass. He seemed really highstrung, but he never seemed to get out of hand -- only pushing people slightly on the shoulder and calling people "cats." Ahh, the sixties.
There was a moment in a hotel room where one of Dylan's entourage plays a song and sings for everyone. There's a hush, and Dylan says "That's a great song." He proceeds to take the guitar and essentially try to show up the guy. It's a toss-up of who wins this showdown, but everyone in the film quietly acknowledges Dylan's presence throughout both backstage performances.
And the scene that stuck out to me the most came where Dylan was lecturing a reporter from Time on how absurd magazine journalism was. On how, if he wanted to know the state of things, he would never look towards Time or Newsweek because the people who write for them are cowards. How he would just look around at the world. And if those magazines would just print something real and true to life, Dylan would respect them more. (When asked what sort of real thing should be shown, Dylan is caught off guard and mentions something about a "tramp vomiting.") He says that he's not a folk singer, but when asked why not, he refuses to explain it to the reporter because he knows the reporter wouldn't understand. He says that he knows everything about the reporter and understands him completely just by looking at him, and the reporter would never fully understand Dylan no matter how long he tried. He says that nothing the reporter says or writes will affect Dylan, and he surmises that nothing he says can affect the reporter.
Yet throughout the whole film, you see a Dylan buried in newspapers, reading quotes outloud, and playing off his reactions as being mock offended. "Give the anarchist a cigarette!" But it really does touch him and you can tell. He's a young, fresh-faced artist with still no signs of wear, but every quote he reads, and every piece of information he eagerly receives about his competitor, Donovan, he soaks up and it becomes a part of him. It's absorbed into his world, and it starts to take a toll. No wonder he went electric right after this (you get a little hint of this when Dylan talks to some guys he meets on tour -- they're in an electric guitar band): he likes being the center of the media's attention, and being antagonistic.
This film has obvious influences on others, and what first springs to mind is Jeff Tweedy's Sunken Treasure: Live in the Pacific Northwest. The difference here is that Tweedy talks directly to the camera as if someone is interviewing him, but with Dylan, it really is a fly-on-the-wall approach, although you have to wonder how much of what happened was the result of knowing that he was on camera. It's not a bad film, especially if you're interested in Dylan lore (this is definitely a staple of that lore). But if you're not a fan of the music, you probably won't be a fan of the movie. Well, who knows. This was sort of like reality television forty years before. Maybe that'll appeal to people.
The film shows equal amounts concert performances and backstage action. The performances are captivating; the power Dylan holds with a single guitar and his words over thousands of people is remarkable. The backstage action is less remarkable -- there are the expected squabbles, the self-isolating superstar, the posse, the bad-haircut manager, the ignored girlfriend.But through all of this, you only get a few moments where you see the disaffected Bob Dylan, the youth who sought fame through his music, who obtained it, and who didn't know what the hell to do with it. His music of this period might portray a folk poet who is outspoken with his lyrics, yet softspoken with his delivery. But offstage, he's a jittery mess: aimless, confused, seeking respite from all the attention yet still thriving on that attention.
A few scenes stuck out in my mind. There was a drawn-out section where Joan Baez was playing guitar and singing. She was sitting right behind Dylan, who was at a desk with a typewriter. I thought that she was singing rather loudly, but Dylan didn't seem to pay attention. Frankly, it would have bothered me if someone was doing that while I was trying to write, but Dylan would have a pregnant pause, then start pecking away at the keys again. I think this was a telling moment -- one that showed their relationship almost outright: Baez was so close to things, but Dylan couldn't pay attention, absorbed in his own world of things.Another fiery moment comes when someone breaks a glass during one of Dylan's performances (I think the glass might have been onstage or somewhere where he could see it). After the show, Dylan is going off on some dude, just yelling and yelling about how he didn't want someone to get hurt by the glass. He seemed really highstrung, but he never seemed to get out of hand -- only pushing people slightly on the shoulder and calling people "cats." Ahh, the sixties.
There was a moment in a hotel room where one of Dylan's entourage plays a song and sings for everyone. There's a hush, and Dylan says "That's a great song." He proceeds to take the guitar and essentially try to show up the guy. It's a toss-up of who wins this showdown, but everyone in the film quietly acknowledges Dylan's presence throughout both backstage performances.And the scene that stuck out to me the most came where Dylan was lecturing a reporter from Time on how absurd magazine journalism was. On how, if he wanted to know the state of things, he would never look towards Time or Newsweek because the people who write for them are cowards. How he would just look around at the world. And if those magazines would just print something real and true to life, Dylan would respect them more. (When asked what sort of real thing should be shown, Dylan is caught off guard and mentions something about a "tramp vomiting.") He says that he's not a folk singer, but when asked why not, he refuses to explain it to the reporter because he knows the reporter wouldn't understand. He says that he knows everything about the reporter and understands him completely just by looking at him, and the reporter would never fully understand Dylan no matter how long he tried. He says that nothing the reporter says or writes will affect Dylan, and he surmises that nothing he says can affect the reporter.
Yet throughout the whole film, you see a Dylan buried in newspapers, reading quotes outloud, and playing off his reactions as being mock offended. "Give the anarchist a cigarette!" But it really does touch him and you can tell. He's a young, fresh-faced artist with still no signs of wear, but every quote he reads, and every piece of information he eagerly receives about his competitor, Donovan, he soaks up and it becomes a part of him. It's absorbed into his world, and it starts to take a toll. No wonder he went electric right after this (you get a little hint of this when Dylan talks to some guys he meets on tour -- they're in an electric guitar band): he likes being the center of the media's attention, and being antagonistic.
This film has obvious influences on others, and what first springs to mind is Jeff Tweedy's Sunken Treasure: Live in the Pacific Northwest. The difference here is that Tweedy talks directly to the camera as if someone is interviewing him, but with Dylan, it really is a fly-on-the-wall approach, although you have to wonder how much of what happened was the result of knowing that he was on camera. It's not a bad film, especially if you're interested in Dylan lore (this is definitely a staple of that lore). But if you're not a fan of the music, you probably won't be a fan of the movie. Well, who knows. This was sort of like reality television forty years before. Maybe that'll appeal to people.
Monday, January 17, 2005
Jason.
Note: Friday the 13th (Part One) wasn't the cinematic classic I figured it was. Jason isn't even the villain in this one.
Parts two and three are much worse. Part two has a 7 minute opening "summary" of part one that consists of a string of clips ripped from the first film. Part three has a similar 7 minute intro that takes the last scenes of part two, unedited, and presents them as a summary of everything that has happened in the series so far. First of all, anyone who hasn't seen Friday the 13th Parts one or two, and decides to watch the third part anyway will not understand anything of what is happening for the first ten minutes. This feeling of confusion will extend into the following 20 minutes that depict a scene with an adult couple that has nothing to do with any other part of the movie or series and is really not that exciting at all.
Doesn't look like 4-10 will be getting much better.
Parts two and three are much worse. Part two has a 7 minute opening "summary" of part one that consists of a string of clips ripped from the first film. Part three has a similar 7 minute intro that takes the last scenes of part two, unedited, and presents them as a summary of everything that has happened in the series so far. First of all, anyone who hasn't seen Friday the 13th Parts one or two, and decides to watch the third part anyway will not understand anything of what is happening for the first ten minutes. This feeling of confusion will extend into the following 20 minutes that depict a scene with an adult couple that has nothing to do with any other part of the movie or series and is really not that exciting at all.
Doesn't look like 4-10 will be getting much better.
Thursday, January 06, 2005
Garden State (aka movie #1 this semester)
I realized tonight that sometimes I don't enjoy seeing a lot of good movies one right after another. I guess it follows that whole philosophy that without failures we don't appreciate our successes. When I saw Garden State tonight, I really enjoyed watching and experiencing it. But immediately afterwards it felt necessary to disregard parts of it (e.g. the ending) as being too sappy. Then I realized that it wasn't.
The stunning ability of the opening shots to set a mood and reflect character were almost thrown away by me as being obvious and unoriginal. Then I remembered movies like "The Flight of the Phoenix" and the remake of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," and I immediately scrapped my disapproving attitude. I can now rationalize paying to see all those bad movies over the years- it makes experiences like Lost in Translation and Garden State so much better remembering all of the average material that comes out all the time.
This was the third movie I'd seen with Natalie Portman in it. And I must say, I was impressed. The two Star Wars prequels, in my opinion, didn't allow her to show off her skills as much as the nature of her role in Garden State. Ebert makes a good point:
She is Sam (Natalie Portman), a local girl who is one of those creatures you sometimes find in the movies, a girl who is completely available, absolutely desirable and really likes you. Portman's success in creating this character is all the more impressive because we learn almost nothing about her, except that she's great to look at and has those positive attributes.
I immensely enjoyed the direction (Zach Braff's only 29 years old! And he wrote, directed, starred in, and hand picked the soundtrack for Garden State), cinematography, acting, and script. Nothing really happens, but it's not hard to get caught up in the moment, follow the meandering adventures, and realize there was a certain knack to the piecing together afterall. This effect appears in two other great films- Lost in Translation and The Big Lebowski- to varying degrees.
So, now I guess I need to watch a few bad movies to balance it out now... Soul Plane anyone?
The stunning ability of the opening shots to set a mood and reflect character were almost thrown away by me as being obvious and unoriginal. Then I remembered movies like "The Flight of the Phoenix" and the remake of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," and I immediately scrapped my disapproving attitude. I can now rationalize paying to see all those bad movies over the years- it makes experiences like Lost in Translation and Garden State so much better remembering all of the average material that comes out all the time.
This was the third movie I'd seen with Natalie Portman in it. And I must say, I was impressed. The two Star Wars prequels, in my opinion, didn't allow her to show off her skills as much as the nature of her role in Garden State. Ebert makes a good point:
She is Sam (Natalie Portman), a local girl who is one of those creatures you sometimes find in the movies, a girl who is completely available, absolutely desirable and really likes you. Portman's success in creating this character is all the more impressive because we learn almost nothing about her, except that she's great to look at and has those positive attributes.
I immensely enjoyed the direction (Zach Braff's only 29 years old! And he wrote, directed, starred in, and hand picked the soundtrack for Garden State), cinematography, acting, and script. Nothing really happens, but it's not hard to get caught up in the moment, follow the meandering adventures, and realize there was a certain knack to the piecing together afterall. This effect appears in two other great films- Lost in Translation and The Big Lebowski- to varying degrees.
So, now I guess I need to watch a few bad movies to balance it out now... Soul Plane anyone?
Tuesday, January 04, 2005
SLC @ the SLB, man.
I knew a few good movies were coming up. Now I have the list. Here are some highlights:
Garden State
Animal House
Sky Captain & The World of Tomorrow
Alice in Wonderland
Stepford Wives (remake)
Hero
Goodbye, Lenin!
Ray
Jackie Brown
Casablanca
Shaun of the Dead
Clue
I Heart Huckabees
Silence of the Lambs
Yeah, those are just the highlights. They have 33 movies listed (of which, I've only seen 5)... and that's just up until February 28th. I won't proclaim anything at this point, but there are rumors that I'm thinking about watching every movie they're showing this semester. I think I'll start going to the film committee meetings, too.
With this and the CDU schedule, I have my work cut out for me. And then there are those pesky classes...
Garden State
Animal House
Sky Captain & The World of Tomorrow
Alice in Wonderland
Stepford Wives (remake)
Hero
Goodbye, Lenin!
Ray
Jackie Brown
Casablanca
Shaun of the Dead
Clue
I Heart Huckabees
Silence of the Lambs
Yeah, those are just the highlights. They have 33 movies listed (of which, I've only seen 5)... and that's just up until February 28th. I won't proclaim anything at this point, but there are rumors that I'm thinking about watching every movie they're showing this semester. I think I'll start going to the film committee meetings, too.
With this and the CDU schedule, I have my work cut out for me. And then there are those pesky classes...
Saturday, November 20, 2004
...
The Student Life Building is having an advanced screening of The Life Aquatic on December 8th, two and a half weeks before it opens. Required passes to be distributed around December 1st.
Speechless.
Speechless.
Thursday, November 18, 2004
Dilemma.
Yesterday Matt made a harrowing observation: On Friday December 3rd, The Presidents of the United States of America are playing at The Beta Bar AND Rushmore is playing as the free midnight movie that night at the SLB.
So,
I've seen Rushmore before, but not on the big screen. I haven't seen the Presidents live.
Rushmore is free, and that is good. The Presidents are $13 in advance, $15 the day of, which is somewhat reasonable.
The Presidents have better than decent local band Believe in Toledo, and decent band The Drake Equation opening for them. Before Rushmore is a showing of Anchorman. However, Rushmore does have Bill Murray. And that funny, quirky Jason Schwartzman.
The concert starts at 9:30 PM, but they usually don't start on time and there is another opening band, Say Anything. So it will most definitely go past midnight.
And then there's always the dilemma of going to the midnight movie or breakfast for a buck. What to do?
So,
I've seen Rushmore before, but not on the big screen. I haven't seen the Presidents live.
Rushmore is free, and that is good. The Presidents are $13 in advance, $15 the day of, which is somewhat reasonable.
The Presidents have better than decent local band Believe in Toledo, and decent band The Drake Equation opening for them. Before Rushmore is a showing of Anchorman. However, Rushmore does have Bill Murray. And that funny, quirky Jason Schwartzman.
The concert starts at 9:30 PM, but they usually don't start on time and there is another opening band, Say Anything. So it will most definitely go past midnight.
And then there's always the dilemma of going to the midnight movie or breakfast for a buck. What to do?
Sunday, October 24, 2004
LTJ + Al Gore + 9/11
I less than three Less Than Jake.
In other news, I saw Al Gore speak today at the courthouse here. I enjoyed the content and delivery of his speech much more than John Edwards' last sunday. He seemed determined, but not vengeful, which was a good move on his part. He used humor, effectively.
To provide a nice balance to this afternoon's speech, I'll be attending the showing of FarenHYPE 9/11 tonight at the student life building here. I will try to compare it and contrast it to Moore's documentary.
In other news, I saw Al Gore speak today at the courthouse here. I enjoyed the content and delivery of his speech much more than John Edwards' last sunday. He seemed determined, but not vengeful, which was a good move on his part. He used humor, effectively.
To provide a nice balance to this afternoon's speech, I'll be attending the showing of FarenHYPE 9/11 tonight at the student life building here. I will try to compare it and contrast it to Moore's documentary.
Tuesday, October 05, 2004
The Postman Always Rings Twice.
Old movies are great.
Quotes:
"Now give me a big kiss... before I sock ya!"
"That's it. You're free."
"That poor, dumb cat."
"Yeah, cats don't know anything about electricity."
"It's a hot day, that's a leather seat, and I've got a thin skirt."
"That other girl, she didn't mean anything to me!"
Quotes:
"Now give me a big kiss... before I sock ya!"
"That's it. You're free."
"That poor, dumb cat."
"Yeah, cats don't know anything about electricity."
"It's a hot day, that's a leather seat, and I've got a thin skirt."
"That other girl, she didn't mean anything to me!"
Thursday, September 09, 2004
The Movies.
Subtitle: "Why people gotta be obnoxious?"
I just composed a witty commentary on movie-going and the social inadequacies of the average audience for movies here on-campus. I did not save my progress- I lost everything and do not have any of the big words that were included last time, nor do I have the flowing prose (varied syntax, etc.), but... I don't enjoy movies when people are commenting throughout. No one cares if you can't follow the plot, or if you have a funny thing to say. You are not in the script. Now, believe me, I've been tempted to say some witty observations during movies. However, I do not. No matter what you do though, you cannot solve the problem of the blabbermouth sitting behind you. In every situation, he wins, and you lose.
You lose.
I just composed a witty commentary on movie-going and the social inadequacies of the average audience for movies here on-campus. I did not save my progress- I lost everything and do not have any of the big words that were included last time, nor do I have the flowing prose (varied syntax, etc.), but... I don't enjoy movies when people are commenting throughout. No one cares if you can't follow the plot, or if you have a funny thing to say. You are not in the script. Now, believe me, I've been tempted to say some witty observations during movies. However, I do not. No matter what you do though, you cannot solve the problem of the blabbermouth sitting behind you. In every situation, he wins, and you lose.
You lose.
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