Wandered over to Real Art Ways this evening for a "one night only" showing of NOW: In the Wings on a World Stage, the documentary film of Kevin Spacey / Sam Mendes presentation and tour of Shakespeare's Richard III.
I love Shakespeare, and love a good behind the scenes documentary, and this had both going for it. As an added bonus, Elizabeth Williamson, Senior Dramaturg and Director of New Play Development at Hartford Stage led a discussion afterwards which was interesting. My only regrets - that there was such a small crowd. Might have been 20 of us there.
Kudos to Real Art Ways for putting this on, it was wonderful.
Showing posts with label film. Show all posts
Showing posts with label film. Show all posts
May 06, 2014
February 09, 2014
Oscar Nominated Shorts - Documentary
I got out to see all three of the "Oscar Nominated Shorts" shows at Real Art Ways this year. Plenty of time to see these before Oscar night.... visit the official Academy Awards site for a list of the films, trailers, and movie websites. I'm putting these in order presented.
CaveDigger / Jeffrey Karoff
Amazing story of a man whose passion is to dig beautiful, artistic caves into the sandstone of New Mexico. Amazing for both his creations and his story (many of his caves were commissions)
Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall / Edgar Barens
A amazingly sensitive portrait of an embattled, alcoholic WWII vet, imprisoned for life for killing the drug dealer who supplied his son (who killed himself as a teenager), during his past days in prison hospice. A very difficult film (more tissues) but quite stunning for it's compassionate portrayal of this man, his estranged but loyal son, and the other prisoners who staff the prison hospice.
Facing Fear / Jason Cohen
Not part of the showing, but here's the trailer.
Karama Has No Walls / Sara Ishaq
Not part of the showing, but here's the trailer.
The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life / Malcolm Clarke and Nicholas Reed
Not part of the showing, here's the trailer.
CaveDigger / Jeffrey Karoff
Amazing story of a man whose passion is to dig beautiful, artistic caves into the sandstone of New Mexico. Amazing for both his creations and his story (many of his caves were commissions)
Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall / Edgar Barens
A amazingly sensitive portrait of an embattled, alcoholic WWII vet, imprisoned for life for killing the drug dealer who supplied his son (who killed himself as a teenager), during his past days in prison hospice. A very difficult film (more tissues) but quite stunning for it's compassionate portrayal of this man, his estranged but loyal son, and the other prisoners who staff the prison hospice.
Facing Fear / Jason Cohen
Not part of the showing, but here's the trailer.
Karama Has No Walls / Sara Ishaq
Not part of the showing, but here's the trailer.
The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life / Malcolm Clarke and Nicholas Reed
Not part of the showing, here's the trailer.
Oscar Nominated Short Films - Live Action
I got out to see all three of the "Oscar Nominated Shorts" shows at Real Art Ways this year. Plenty of time to see these before Oscar night.... visit the official Academy Awards site for a list of the films, trailers, and movie websites. I'm putting these in order presented.
Helium / Anders Walter and Kim Magnusson
A lovely little story about a sick young boy in hospital, and a story-telling janitor. Helium is the place the janitor makes up when the boy complains that heaven (where folks are telling him he will be going to) sounds boring. Charming, in every way, really creative in both concept and the fictional land of Helium. My vote for the Oscar because I am a sucker for sick kids and a little magic. Also, pass the tissues.
The Voorman Problem / Mark Gill and Baldwin Li
Kind of a one note joke / sci-fi kind of thing about a prisoner who may or may not be a God. Why yes, that is Martin Freeman (The Hobbit (Bilbo) / Sherlock (Watson) as the assuredly human protaganist. Was short and amusing, reminded me a little of 2011's "God of Love" (which won) although a much more compact and punchy piece.
Avant Que De Tout Perdre (Just Before Losing Everything) / Xavier Legrand and Alexandre Gavras
A terrifying slice of life as a woman with two older kids attempts to flee her abusive husband, with the aid of her fellow workers and supervisers at a department store. The abuse is hinted at and uncovered slowly, by the end, I was on the edge of my seat. Really powerful stuff that totally communicates the helplessness and terror of a woman and family in that situation.
Aquel No Era Yo (That Wasn't Me) / Esteban Crespo
Kids in war zones are good fodder for both documentaries and live action shorts. This one was also terrifying (with good reason) and also a bit of a tear-jerker. Three aid workers travel into a war zone to rescue child soldiers. They come across a band of child soldiers with sobering results. But at the end, perhaps a little redemption. Triggering on a lot of levels, so be warned.
Pitääkö Mun Kaikki Hoitaa? (Do I Have to Take Care of Everything?) / Selma Vilhunen and Kirsikka Saari
Goofy, swell, funny. A real life family who can't seem to get it together, but end up having a good time together nonetheless. Combine Roseanne with Vicar of Dibley. Loved it.
Helium / Anders Walter and Kim Magnusson
A lovely little story about a sick young boy in hospital, and a story-telling janitor. Helium is the place the janitor makes up when the boy complains that heaven (where folks are telling him he will be going to) sounds boring. Charming, in every way, really creative in both concept and the fictional land of Helium. My vote for the Oscar because I am a sucker for sick kids and a little magic. Also, pass the tissues.
The Voorman Problem / Mark Gill and Baldwin Li
Kind of a one note joke / sci-fi kind of thing about a prisoner who may or may not be a God. Why yes, that is Martin Freeman (The Hobbit (Bilbo) / Sherlock (Watson) as the assuredly human protaganist. Was short and amusing, reminded me a little of 2011's "God of Love" (which won) although a much more compact and punchy piece.
Avant Que De Tout Perdre (Just Before Losing Everything) / Xavier Legrand and Alexandre Gavras
A terrifying slice of life as a woman with two older kids attempts to flee her abusive husband, with the aid of her fellow workers and supervisers at a department store. The abuse is hinted at and uncovered slowly, by the end, I was on the edge of my seat. Really powerful stuff that totally communicates the helplessness and terror of a woman and family in that situation.
Aquel No Era Yo (That Wasn't Me) / Esteban Crespo
Kids in war zones are good fodder for both documentaries and live action shorts. This one was also terrifying (with good reason) and also a bit of a tear-jerker. Three aid workers travel into a war zone to rescue child soldiers. They come across a band of child soldiers with sobering results. But at the end, perhaps a little redemption. Triggering on a lot of levels, so be warned.
Pitääkö Mun Kaikki Hoitaa? (Do I Have to Take Care of Everything?) / Selma Vilhunen and Kirsikka Saari
Goofy, swell, funny. A real life family who can't seem to get it together, but end up having a good time together nonetheless. Combine Roseanne with Vicar of Dibley. Loved it.
Oscar Nominated Short Films - Animated
I got out to see all three of the "Oscar Nominated Shorts" shows at Real Art Ways this year. Plenty of time to see these before Oscar night.... visit the official Acadamy Awards site for a list of the films, trailers, and movie websites. And oh yeah, the "hosts" of the show, an animated ostrich and giraffe (Clive and Martin) were hilarious. Perfect transitions between films!
First, the animated shorts:
Feral / Daniel Sousa and Dan Golden
Very conceptual, artistic film of a young boy lost among wolves, found and "civilized", and returned to the wold. Lovely, beautiful music, although kind of thin theme.
Get a Horse! / Lauren MacMullan and Dorothy McKim
A Disney feature based on an old Mickey Mouse B/W short, with Mickey's nemesis Peg Leg Pete, wherein the B/W characters breakout into the color, wide screen world, and do battle with those still in the B/W small screen film. Quite cute and clever, although the Disney animation stuff always feels a little too corporate and save for my taste. I saw this before Frozen, in 3D....
Mr. Hublot / Laurent Witz and Alexandre Espigares
A fascinating dystopia / steam and cyberpunk feel to this charming movie. Very creative story-telling, characters (Mr. Hublot seems a little OCD in a charming kind of way), and a highly imagined world. This one is my pick for the Oscar.
Possessions / Shuhei Morita
Remember when I asked for a Miyazaki-ish snowman in Disney's Frozen? Well, here it is. A tinkerer / traveler stumbles upon a haunted hut in the woods. Imaginative, colorful, sweet and dark as the same time. I loved it for a lot of reasons, just felt Mr. Hublot was a little more inventive.
Room on the Broom / Max Lang and Jan Lachauer
Highly charming in the vein of (and by the creators of) 2009's The Gruffalo and based on the book of the same name. It was very sweet, and funny, done in a claymation-ish style. I liked this a lot (the music was a big plus also) but again it seemed (to me) a little too well designed and implemented.
First, the animated shorts:
Feral / Daniel Sousa and Dan Golden
Very conceptual, artistic film of a young boy lost among wolves, found and "civilized", and returned to the wold. Lovely, beautiful music, although kind of thin theme.
Get a Horse! / Lauren MacMullan and Dorothy McKim
A Disney feature based on an old Mickey Mouse B/W short, with Mickey's nemesis Peg Leg Pete, wherein the B/W characters breakout into the color, wide screen world, and do battle with those still in the B/W small screen film. Quite cute and clever, although the Disney animation stuff always feels a little too corporate and save for my taste. I saw this before Frozen, in 3D....
Mr. Hublot / Laurent Witz and Alexandre Espigares
A fascinating dystopia / steam and cyberpunk feel to this charming movie. Very creative story-telling, characters (Mr. Hublot seems a little OCD in a charming kind of way), and a highly imagined world. This one is my pick for the Oscar.
Possessions / Shuhei Morita
Remember when I asked for a Miyazaki-ish snowman in Disney's Frozen? Well, here it is. A tinkerer / traveler stumbles upon a haunted hut in the woods. Imaginative, colorful, sweet and dark as the same time. I loved it for a lot of reasons, just felt Mr. Hublot was a little more inventive.
Room on the Broom / Max Lang and Jan Lachauer
Highly charming in the vein of (and by the creators of) 2009's The Gruffalo and based on the book of the same name. It was very sweet, and funny, done in a claymation-ish style. I liked this a lot (the music was a big plus also) but again it seemed (to me) a little too well designed and implemented.
January 26, 2014
Oscar Nominated Films (and a few strays)
Colin McEnroe recently blogs:
So, with Oscar season around the corner, here is a listing of what I've seen, what I've liked, and what I've missed. Although I'm trying not to drop too many big plot bomb, there are probably a few spoilers following, so be warned.
In no particular order:
America Hustle: Did not expect to go see this, but what a treat. A double feature with Dallas Buyers Club would have worked in terms of bringing back the fashion, cars, and vibe of my youth. Loved the story, loved the music. Jennifer Lawrence was awesome in a "not the Hunger Games" role. Christian Bale was so deeply lost in a role as insane as Andy Kaufman's Tony Clifton alter ego, that I needed to wait for the credits to see who it was. Totally not something I would ordinarily go see, but it was a total joy to watch.
Dallas Buyers Club: Confession, I went to see how problematic Jared Leto's portrayal of transwoman Rayon was. In fact, Leto did a great job, and was really such a secondary character. Loved Matthew McConaughey, loved the 80's vibe, Jennifer Garner was great. Totally loved it.
Gravity: I could totally have done without the star power (Clooney and Bullock carry so many of their roles with them, I think I liken it to the Uncanny Valley phenomenon wherein a human features look and move almost, but not exactly, like natural human beings, causing a negative response) and there were enough technical holes in the plot to fuel a half dozen web sites. But it was nevertheless a visual thrill ride in 3D ($8 at the Starplex matinee)
Her: Another one I might have skipped, but for some positive reviews and comments from friends. Joaquin Phoenix was great in a role that vibed John Hodgeman; Scarlet Johansson's vocal work was perfect, and there's Amy Adams again (also in American Hustle). As a "be here now" yoga teacher, seeing all those folks with their noses in their PDA's, interactive video games, etc. was a little unsettling, but I liked the idea of the sentient operating systems evolving and deciding what to do about that in a way that did not involve Skynet and Terminators. Call it dystopia lite.
Nebraska: Just saw this one tonight (Oscar nomination brought it back to Berlin) and I was totally charmed. Not 100% sure that the decision to use black-and-white was perfect (or at least, required) - although there were some really amazing landscape and townscape shots that probably would not have worked as well. I kind of wanted a 70s era instagram filter for the thing. While Bruce Dern is getting kudos for his portrayal, I was much more interested in Wil Forte (familiar to this nerd as Jenna's cross-dressing love interest in 30 Rock). Loved the film, in a lot of ways,
Blue Jasmine: I saw this when it first came out. Did not wow me (if I recall correctly) and so very dark in a lot of ways (except cinematography, if memory serves it was a pretty bright film, in terms of light and color). Alec Baldwin does not seem right for a lot of roles, but her he was. And Cate Blanchette's journey through the film was hard to watch.
Frozen: The only thing that kept this from being perfect for me was the damn snowman. Get rid of that "we gotta sell toys" candy-ass Ewok / Jar-Jar Binks plot excuse for a snowman and put a ghostly Miyazaki silent snowman in there, and it would have been awesome. But it was still pretty great. A few odd plot points (I totally got Ana's loss of her beloved big sister, not so much Elsa's trauma and fear), but so much ran pleasantly counter to the typical Disney princess meets prince plot. And if the songs made it seem like Wicked II (I was mentally comparing the songs as I watched, Idina Menzel's lovely voice only made it more pointed), that's not a bad thing. I'd go see it again....
Despicable Me II: OK, it's been a while. When the original came out I never saw it, not really a Steve Carell fan, and my loss (happily rented it after seeing the sequel). The Minions were amazing in their whimsy, slapstick, and irreverence - Harpo Marx meets the Oompah-Loompahs, and cranked up to 11.
Inside Llewyn Davis: There's a lot not to like here (Greenwich Village seems kind of sanitized and empty), but a lot to like also. Here, Justin Timberlake gets lost in his supporting role, it was fun to grab all the musical characters and plop them into my knowledge of the nascent folk scene, I loved the "wrap around itself" plot device. Even the cat, which could have been a cloying and annoying bit, was deftly and amusing employed. "Oh Brother Where Art Though" seemed a lot more contrived, to me (there's Clooney again, unable to escape his celebrity)
Saving Mr. Banks: Tom Hanks might have the same sort of problems for me that Clooney does (hell, I remember his breakout role in Bosom Buddies, much as I try to forget) but for whatever reason, he does not. He was great here, Emma Thompson was similarly awesome, and I much enjoyed the period piece (Mad Men without the alcohol and sex) and the behind the scenes look at one of my childhood memories (the Sherman brothers were great, and love to see Bradley Whitford in anything, West Wing actors are beloved). I was a bit young to see Mary Poppins when it first came out but I am sure I saw in on Wonderful World of Disney, and perhaps from the back of my parent's ranch wagon at the drive-in.
Finally, Twenty Feet from Stardom: Another mental double-bill for me, along with this year's Muscle Shoals (not nominated). Both were great looks back to rock n' roll history, and if Muscle Shoals was a bit more relatable to me (late 60's and 70's is the music of my youth) Twenty Feet was an amazing, heart-breaking, and ultimately inspirational story.
In the "not really nominated for much" category, I did belly up to the cinematic bar for three "junk food" movies in the past few months. Catching Fire (the Hunger Games sequel) was pretty good but not much new as compared to the original. The Hobbit II / Desolation of Smaug - pretty much the same, with perhaps a tad more resentment for dragging what amounts to a thinnish book into three movies without a particularly meaningful of satisfying break point between the folms. And Thor: The Dark World was also pretty good (I especially like the way Marvel is bringing in young nerdish folks as foils / adjuncts for the heroes; I've kind of gotten hooked on Agents of Shield).
Now, what have I not seen?
Captain Phillips: No reason, really. Perhaps the Tom Hanks star vehicle (that Uncanny Valley thing, again), although I've heard a lot of NPR interviews that make me think I'd like it, and Tina Fey's "I am the captain, now" line from the Golden Globes (which, it turns out, was ad libbed by the Somali actor, per Tom Hanks) is bringing me around. I'll rent it between now and Oscar night, probably.
Twelve Years a Slave: Again, no real reason. Friends who saw it were kind of shocked by it, and being a lone wolf theater goer, mostly, (and being a bit down in life of late) perhaps I did not feel up to it. It's still in theaters so I really ought to try to get to see this one. I really enjoyed Lincoln (last year's "big, meaningful historical picture" that I did go see). On the other hand, I also seems to have missed "The Butler", so perhaps I'm a bit scared of pulling the scab off of my country's history of racism.
Wolf of Wall Street: Just not a lot of interest. Leonardo Dicaprio has done nothing for me, in fact, looking over his CV, I seem to be actively avoiding films he's been in (Titanic, Gilbert Grape, and Catch Me If You Can are the sum of his films I've seen). Oh wait, I saw (and was pretty much unimpressed with) this year's Great Gatsby. Similarly, Jonah Hill is another Jude-aversion actor (seeing only 2011's Moneyball).
And finally, Philomena: Having spent my youth in the 60's and 70's catholic church (albeit south central Pennsylvania, not Ireland), I've got a kind of PTSD around a lot of the issues here. Themes of adoption, abortion, priests, nuns, folk mass, and catholic education swirled around my childhood. I love Judi Dench, so I'll probably see this. But might want to not see it alone....
One thing I try to do most years is get to Real Art Ways to see the Oscar Nominated films - they generally run the Oscar Nominated short films, short documentaries, and animated shorts in rotation and promise to this year from Feb 1 - 13. So I'll probably make it up to Hartford 2-3 times in the coming weeks.
And finally, all this cinema-passion is generally a preparation for the annual "Oscar Night Hartford" (a CARC / CT Aids Resource Coalition fund-raiser). CARC became AIDS Connecticut this year, and Oscar Night became Red Carpet Experience (probably for legal reasons). I've kind of pulled back from formal fund-raisers the past few years (not feeling particularly good about myself to dress up and be social) but Red Carpet Experience is in a good venue (Spotlight Theater) that offers some good hidey-holes for the anti-social (like, the theater, to watch the show) and the opportunity to put on a movie inspired costume. (Hm....I do recall a certain Minion costume) and besides, my friend and fellow yogini Wendy is the adult-in-charge of the event. So MAYBE....
I’m starting to believe the people who say 2013 is one of the great years for movies. Having recently piled “Dallas Buyers Club” and “Nebraska” on top of the long list of other last year releases viewed, I’m starting to see this as a crop that just keeps yielding.And who am I to argue with him? I've been seeing a lot of movies myself this awards season. It's not something I do every year, but this year the combination of frigid weather, work schedule, interesting movies, and a fairly dormant (dare I say, comatose) social life has drawn me to the big screen more often. And while my normal movie watching generally is about 60% Real Art Ways, 10% Cinestudio, 10% mainstream movies, and 10% Out Film Fest, I've been out to the local multiplex (in provincial Berlin CT, matinees at the Starplex run until 6 pm and cost $5 - very affordable for the self employed with a flexible schedule).
So, with Oscar season around the corner, here is a listing of what I've seen, what I've liked, and what I've missed. Although I'm trying not to drop too many big plot bomb, there are probably a few spoilers following, so be warned.
In no particular order:
America Hustle: Did not expect to go see this, but what a treat. A double feature with Dallas Buyers Club would have worked in terms of bringing back the fashion, cars, and vibe of my youth. Loved the story, loved the music. Jennifer Lawrence was awesome in a "not the Hunger Games" role. Christian Bale was so deeply lost in a role as insane as Andy Kaufman's Tony Clifton alter ego, that I needed to wait for the credits to see who it was. Totally not something I would ordinarily go see, but it was a total joy to watch.
Dallas Buyers Club: Confession, I went to see how problematic Jared Leto's portrayal of transwoman Rayon was. In fact, Leto did a great job, and was really such a secondary character. Loved Matthew McConaughey, loved the 80's vibe, Jennifer Garner was great. Totally loved it.
Gravity: I could totally have done without the star power (Clooney and Bullock carry so many of their roles with them, I think I liken it to the Uncanny Valley phenomenon wherein a human features look and move almost, but not exactly, like natural human beings, causing a negative response) and there were enough technical holes in the plot to fuel a half dozen web sites. But it was nevertheless a visual thrill ride in 3D ($8 at the Starplex matinee)
Her: Another one I might have skipped, but for some positive reviews and comments from friends. Joaquin Phoenix was great in a role that vibed John Hodgeman; Scarlet Johansson's vocal work was perfect, and there's Amy Adams again (also in American Hustle). As a "be here now" yoga teacher, seeing all those folks with their noses in their PDA's, interactive video games, etc. was a little unsettling, but I liked the idea of the sentient operating systems evolving and deciding what to do about that in a way that did not involve Skynet and Terminators. Call it dystopia lite.
Nebraska: Just saw this one tonight (Oscar nomination brought it back to Berlin) and I was totally charmed. Not 100% sure that the decision to use black-and-white was perfect (or at least, required) - although there were some really amazing landscape and townscape shots that probably would not have worked as well. I kind of wanted a 70s era instagram filter for the thing. While Bruce Dern is getting kudos for his portrayal, I was much more interested in Wil Forte (familiar to this nerd as Jenna's cross-dressing love interest in 30 Rock). Loved the film, in a lot of ways,
Blue Jasmine: I saw this when it first came out. Did not wow me (if I recall correctly) and so very dark in a lot of ways (except cinematography, if memory serves it was a pretty bright film, in terms of light and color). Alec Baldwin does not seem right for a lot of roles, but her he was. And Cate Blanchette's journey through the film was hard to watch.
Frozen: The only thing that kept this from being perfect for me was the damn snowman. Get rid of that "we gotta sell toys" candy-ass Ewok / Jar-Jar Binks plot excuse for a snowman and put a ghostly Miyazaki silent snowman in there, and it would have been awesome. But it was still pretty great. A few odd plot points (I totally got Ana's loss of her beloved big sister, not so much Elsa's trauma and fear), but so much ran pleasantly counter to the typical Disney princess meets prince plot. And if the songs made it seem like Wicked II (I was mentally comparing the songs as I watched, Idina Menzel's lovely voice only made it more pointed), that's not a bad thing. I'd go see it again....
Despicable Me II: OK, it's been a while. When the original came out I never saw it, not really a Steve Carell fan, and my loss (happily rented it after seeing the sequel). The Minions were amazing in their whimsy, slapstick, and irreverence - Harpo Marx meets the Oompah-Loompahs, and cranked up to 11.
Inside Llewyn Davis: There's a lot not to like here (Greenwich Village seems kind of sanitized and empty), but a lot to like also. Here, Justin Timberlake gets lost in his supporting role, it was fun to grab all the musical characters and plop them into my knowledge of the nascent folk scene, I loved the "wrap around itself" plot device. Even the cat, which could have been a cloying and annoying bit, was deftly and amusing employed. "Oh Brother Where Art Though" seemed a lot more contrived, to me (there's Clooney again, unable to escape his celebrity)
Saving Mr. Banks: Tom Hanks might have the same sort of problems for me that Clooney does (hell, I remember his breakout role in Bosom Buddies, much as I try to forget) but for whatever reason, he does not. He was great here, Emma Thompson was similarly awesome, and I much enjoyed the period piece (Mad Men without the alcohol and sex) and the behind the scenes look at one of my childhood memories (the Sherman brothers were great, and love to see Bradley Whitford in anything, West Wing actors are beloved). I was a bit young to see Mary Poppins when it first came out but I am sure I saw in on Wonderful World of Disney, and perhaps from the back of my parent's ranch wagon at the drive-in.
Finally, Twenty Feet from Stardom: Another mental double-bill for me, along with this year's Muscle Shoals (not nominated). Both were great looks back to rock n' roll history, and if Muscle Shoals was a bit more relatable to me (late 60's and 70's is the music of my youth) Twenty Feet was an amazing, heart-breaking, and ultimately inspirational story.
In the "not really nominated for much" category, I did belly up to the cinematic bar for three "junk food" movies in the past few months. Catching Fire (the Hunger Games sequel) was pretty good but not much new as compared to the original. The Hobbit II / Desolation of Smaug - pretty much the same, with perhaps a tad more resentment for dragging what amounts to a thinnish book into three movies without a particularly meaningful of satisfying break point between the folms. And Thor: The Dark World was also pretty good (I especially like the way Marvel is bringing in young nerdish folks as foils / adjuncts for the heroes; I've kind of gotten hooked on Agents of Shield).
Now, what have I not seen?
Captain Phillips: No reason, really. Perhaps the Tom Hanks star vehicle (that Uncanny Valley thing, again), although I've heard a lot of NPR interviews that make me think I'd like it, and Tina Fey's "I am the captain, now" line from the Golden Globes (which, it turns out, was ad libbed by the Somali actor, per Tom Hanks) is bringing me around. I'll rent it between now and Oscar night, probably.
Twelve Years a Slave: Again, no real reason. Friends who saw it were kind of shocked by it, and being a lone wolf theater goer, mostly, (and being a bit down in life of late) perhaps I did not feel up to it. It's still in theaters so I really ought to try to get to see this one. I really enjoyed Lincoln (last year's "big, meaningful historical picture" that I did go see). On the other hand, I also seems to have missed "The Butler", so perhaps I'm a bit scared of pulling the scab off of my country's history of racism.
Wolf of Wall Street: Just not a lot of interest. Leonardo Dicaprio has done nothing for me, in fact, looking over his CV, I seem to be actively avoiding films he's been in (Titanic, Gilbert Grape, and Catch Me If You Can are the sum of his films I've seen). Oh wait, I saw (and was pretty much unimpressed with) this year's Great Gatsby. Similarly, Jonah Hill is another Jude-aversion actor (seeing only 2011's Moneyball).
And finally, Philomena: Having spent my youth in the 60's and 70's catholic church (albeit south central Pennsylvania, not Ireland), I've got a kind of PTSD around a lot of the issues here. Themes of adoption, abortion, priests, nuns, folk mass, and catholic education swirled around my childhood. I love Judi Dench, so I'll probably see this. But might want to not see it alone....
One thing I try to do most years is get to Real Art Ways to see the Oscar Nominated films - they generally run the Oscar Nominated short films, short documentaries, and animated shorts in rotation and promise to this year from Feb 1 - 13. So I'll probably make it up to Hartford 2-3 times in the coming weeks.
And finally, all this cinema-passion is generally a preparation for the annual "Oscar Night Hartford" (a CARC / CT Aids Resource Coalition fund-raiser). CARC became AIDS Connecticut this year, and Oscar Night became Red Carpet Experience (probably for legal reasons). I've kind of pulled back from formal fund-raisers the past few years (not feeling particularly good about myself to dress up and be social) but Red Carpet Experience is in a good venue (Spotlight Theater) that offers some good hidey-holes for the anti-social (like, the theater, to watch the show) and the opportunity to put on a movie inspired costume. (Hm....I do recall a certain Minion costume) and besides, my friend and fellow yogini Wendy is the adult-in-charge of the event. So MAYBE....
January 29, 2008
Note by Note: The Making of Steinway L1037
Snuck over to Real Art Ways this afternoon, to see this film. What a wonderful documentary - a paean to both the beauty of the piano as well as the wonder of hand craftsmanship. A throwback to another era.
To see the concert pianists selecting a piano - for a concert or to purchase - was a wonder. They'd sit, and play a few bars, or maybe just a few notes before moving on to the next one - or smile and linger over an instrument that pleased them. And to meet so many of the factory workers - from many countries, with skills passed down over the years. How many jobs in this country have been outsourced, or replaced by automation?
And finally, the intricacies of the piano itself - the woodwork, the strings, the keyboard, hammers, and felts. So delicate, and yet such a time tested and long lived mechanism. The whole thing certainly makes me appreciate any piano I happen to come across, and want to invest in a handcrafted guitar when I can afford it....
Highly recommended, and I just checked, the film is held over at Real Art Ways for another week.
To see the concert pianists selecting a piano - for a concert or to purchase - was a wonder. They'd sit, and play a few bars, or maybe just a few notes before moving on to the next one - or smile and linger over an instrument that pleased them. And to meet so many of the factory workers - from many countries, with skills passed down over the years. How many jobs in this country have been outsourced, or replaced by automation?
And finally, the intricacies of the piano itself - the woodwork, the strings, the keyboard, hammers, and felts. So delicate, and yet such a time tested and long lived mechanism. The whole thing certainly makes me appreciate any piano I happen to come across, and want to invest in a handcrafted guitar when I can afford it....
Highly recommended, and I just checked, the film is held over at Real Art Ways for another week.
January 23, 2008
Chick Flick
My Young Apprentice (usually MYA here, my mentee) and I went out tonight for her birthday (she's now 19) - Imperial Buffet in Plainville (they love us there, we're good luck in India, I hear and maybe in all of Asia). Then to Target (she burned part of a gift card on clearance jeans). Then to see 27 Dresses with Katherine Heigl. We both decided we wanted to get married (she's got a better shot at it than I do, but it's complicated no matter how you slice it)
I kind of felt bad walking past the theater sign of Oscar nominated films I would like to see, but have not (because, that would involve actually going to a cineplex). We have this sort of negative function thing going with theaters - we go to Real Art Ways cinema a lot. The slightly more mainstream Cinestudio a bit less. Almost commercial Cinema City occasionally. And the Bow Tie cinema's right down the road on New Park maybe twice a year.
But, it was MYA's birthday, so we went to a movie she wanted. It was a nice little movie. If only life worked out in that sort of happily ever after way - she could use a happy ending.
I kind of felt bad walking past the theater sign of Oscar nominated films I would like to see, but have not (because, that would involve actually going to a cineplex). We have this sort of negative function thing going with theaters - we go to Real Art Ways cinema a lot. The slightly more mainstream Cinestudio a bit less. Almost commercial Cinema City occasionally. And the Bow Tie cinema's right down the road on New Park maybe twice a year.
But, it was MYA's birthday, so we went to a movie she wanted. It was a nice little movie. If only life worked out in that sort of happily ever after way - she could use a happy ending.
September 06, 2007
Home Again
Mom and I made good time back from NJ / Philly - leaving at 9:00 a.m. and arriving home around 1:30, and that included a potty break, a gas break, and lunch at a diner in New Haven. We ended up missing NJ Turnpike Exit 11 (for the Garden State and the Tappen Zee Bridge) so braved the much feard (by Mom) GWB. Not too much traffic (even sans EZ-Pass) and then we took the Hutch and the Merritt (which Mom thought was pretty, and was actually a nice drive around noon with little traffic)
So, a safe trip back. Stopped by the house to say hello to Zippy, then to the train station to fetch my car, and then saw mom to I-84 East. Mission accomplished.
A little work this afternoon, and then home for dinner. We watched Mysterious Skin tonight (dark, triggering, excellent) - I'm slowly rolling independent films into our Netflix buffet. We need to use closed captions, I think, because the movie is punctuated by Zippy saing "What?" to an unheard line and me either repeating the line (with increasing emphasis as the movie goes on) or saying "I dunno....."
So, a safe trip back. Stopped by the house to say hello to Zippy, then to the train station to fetch my car, and then saw mom to I-84 East. Mission accomplished.
A little work this afternoon, and then home for dinner. We watched Mysterious Skin tonight (dark, triggering, excellent) - I'm slowly rolling independent films into our Netflix buffet. We need to use closed captions, I think, because the movie is punctuated by Zippy saing "What?" to an unheard line and me either repeating the line (with increasing emphasis as the movie goes on) or saying "I dunno....."
August 20, 2007
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
The Zipster and I are enjoying the 1953 Howard Hawkes classic Gentlemen Prefer Blondes with Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe. Neither of us has seen it, and are enjoying it immensely.
Amusingly, the film has taken a feminist spin in recent years:
Amusingly, the film has taken a feminist spin in recent years:
Feminist scholars made a stronger case for the film's progressive depiction of female friendship: "the absence of competitiveness, envy or pettiness" between Dorothy and Lorelei.....Perhaps most strikingly for contemporary feminists, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes can be said to draw a moral parallel between the motivations of women who pursue men for their money and men who pursue women for their beauty. St. James Encyclopedia of Pop Culture by Jeanne HallJane and Marilyn are the bomb!
December 02, 2006
Bollywood - Lagaan
We're about an hour into watching this 3.5 hour movie, courtesy of Netflix. And LOVING it.....
The musical / dance numbers are incredible - very fun.
Post Film Wrap-up: The music is infectious. The plot compelling. The actors skilled and good looking too. Lots of somewhat heavy handed moralizing but yanno, thats OK. We watched 3.5 hours of movie tonight - I have a hard time envisioning us watching that much of ANY genre, domestic, mainstream, foreign, independent, you name it.
Bollywood and Lagaan get two thumbs up in this household.
The musical / dance numbers are incredible - very fun.
Post Film Wrap-up: The music is infectious. The plot compelling. The actors skilled and good looking too. Lots of somewhat heavy handed moralizing but yanno, thats OK. We watched 3.5 hours of movie tonight - I have a hard time envisioning us watching that much of ANY genre, domestic, mainstream, foreign, independent, you name it.
Bollywood and Lagaan get two thumbs up in this household.
November 29, 2006
Darshan, The Embrace
It's been at Real Art Ways all week (while I was in Chicago); tomorrow seems to be the last day (at 5:30 pm). Something made me check the RAW calendar tonight, thankfully. I'm pretty sure I will be there.
Darshan the Embrace Amma, one of India’s most famous “Mahatmas” or spiritual guides, is known internationally for her charitable donations, fight for peace and work with illiteracy. In 2002 she received the Gandhi-King Prize for her work on behalf of non-violence, joining a group of winners that include Nelson Mandela and Kofi Annan. This intimate documentary by France-based filmmaker Jan Kounen chronicles Amma’s journey throughout India with her disciples. Over three decades, she has hugged more than 23 million people, imparting love and serenity through her touch, and giving comfort to those who have little hope to cling to. In 1979 she had only a handful of followers, and today she is the center of a massive charitable enterprise that builds houses for the homeless, feeds the hungry and runs a hospital and orphanage. People wait hours on line to hear her captivating speeches and line up a second time to get a hug from her. With elegant camerawork that encourages us to observe and meditate on the phenomenon, filmmaker Kounen demonstrates that, after all, 23 million people can’t be wrong. –Ricrad Peterson, Smith Rafael Film Center.
January 03, 2006
Franchised Yurts
Inspired by Colin McEnroe's radio show (and blog) last night, listened to en route from Hartford to Milford. I would have called in but I was speeding down the Merritt and it was raining and nasty out....
First, the Great Room - the lamented merging of family room, kitchen, dining room, where kids do homework, parents cook meals, TV is watched, videogames played. This strikes me not so much as a deconstruction of Victorian properness and "a place for everything, everything in its place" ethos, as perhaps an evolution to a more eastern style of living and being. I am reminded of a movie we recently rented, wherein an extended family all lived in a yurt. A great room, indeed.
As for the franchising of America, the prevailing of corporate franchised food experiences over local eateries, well, I ate at the much discussed Macaroni Grill - on a recent trip to Tustin CA (as opposed to West Hartford). I submit that our franchise culture, even as it digests our cities and regions, binds us together across state and regional lines, across red state / blue state boundaries.
Not sure if thats a good thing or a bad thing. On the one hand, I enjoy popping in to Jazzercise franchises all across the country, and am universally welcomed and find a familiar workout experience. Are we liberals less strange to the heartlanders for having sat down to a similar meal at Chilis?
Perhaps the blue / red divide will be forded and national schism will be avoided not through deft politicking but rather through a pretty decent entree and a waitron who will be taking care of you tonight.....regardless of who you voted for in the last election.
First, the Great Room - the lamented merging of family room, kitchen, dining room, where kids do homework, parents cook meals, TV is watched, videogames played. This strikes me not so much as a deconstruction of Victorian properness and "a place for everything, everything in its place" ethos, as perhaps an evolution to a more eastern style of living and being. I am reminded of a movie we recently rented, wherein an extended family all lived in a yurt. A great room, indeed.
As for the franchising of America, the prevailing of corporate franchised food experiences over local eateries, well, I ate at the much discussed Macaroni Grill - on a recent trip to Tustin CA (as opposed to West Hartford). I submit that our franchise culture, even as it digests our cities and regions, binds us together across state and regional lines, across red state / blue state boundaries.
Not sure if thats a good thing or a bad thing. On the one hand, I enjoy popping in to Jazzercise franchises all across the country, and am universally welcomed and find a familiar workout experience. Are we liberals less strange to the heartlanders for having sat down to a similar meal at Chilis?
Perhaps the blue / red divide will be forded and national schism will be avoided not through deft politicking but rather through a pretty decent entree and a waitron who will be taking care of you tonight.....regardless of who you voted for in the last election.
December 24, 2005
Baraka
Wow, what an amazing work. It's hard to get it all in, in some ways the work is elusive, you just watch and let the waves of emotion wash over you. It's hard to know what to get from it. Here are the things that struck me:
* The absolute beauty of the camerawork - both the normal photography and the time lapse footage
* The absolute beauty of the planet - I wanted to travel more
* The dehumanizing aspects of civilization - the sheer numbers of people crammed into smaller spaces, doing mindless work.
* The egg factory - beautiful, fascinating, horrifying, and mostly, not unlike the way humans live their lives in some of the places filmed.
* The universal quest for a higher power. So many beautiful sacred images. The footage of the pilgrims circling the Kaaba was most particularly riveting, the whirling dervishes most entrancing and beautiful.
* The patriarchy. One would think all of those seeking the divine were men. And in fact, in many cultures and locals, they are.
It was a definite treat. About 1/2 way through I was feeling quite down, quite hopeless. Yet the beauty of the planet, the horrors of civilization, and the quest for the divine all formed a somewhat stable three-legged platform. Perhaps we seek the divine since our need to rise above our lives is so acute.
I was actually left with somewhat of a feminist spin on it all - a sort of "men have sought the divine for centuries and the results are evident (overpopulation, dehumanization, torture, war, genocide). Perhaps it is time for the feminine to exert itself....". In that way - hopeful.
One of our friends makes this an annual holiday pilgrimage, and I can see why.
Oh, and then we did a drink (yes, I do drink, now and then) and some really nasty but yummy bar food at the Corner Pug. Kind of hope yoga is somewhat tame this morning, if I sweat a lot its gonna be guinness and irish nachos....lovely....
* The absolute beauty of the camerawork - both the normal photography and the time lapse footage
* The absolute beauty of the planet - I wanted to travel more
* The dehumanizing aspects of civilization - the sheer numbers of people crammed into smaller spaces, doing mindless work.
* The egg factory - beautiful, fascinating, horrifying, and mostly, not unlike the way humans live their lives in some of the places filmed.
* The universal quest for a higher power. So many beautiful sacred images. The footage of the pilgrims circling the Kaaba was most particularly riveting, the whirling dervishes most entrancing and beautiful.
* The patriarchy. One would think all of those seeking the divine were men. And in fact, in many cultures and locals, they are.
It was a definite treat. About 1/2 way through I was feeling quite down, quite hopeless. Yet the beauty of the planet, the horrors of civilization, and the quest for the divine all formed a somewhat stable three-legged platform. Perhaps we seek the divine since our need to rise above our lives is so acute.
I was actually left with somewhat of a feminist spin on it all - a sort of "men have sought the divine for centuries and the results are evident (overpopulation, dehumanization, torture, war, genocide). Perhaps it is time for the feminine to exert itself....". In that way - hopeful.
One of our friends makes this an annual holiday pilgrimage, and I can see why.
Oh, and then we did a drink (yes, I do drink, now and then) and some really nasty but yummy bar food at the Corner Pug. Kind of hope yoga is somewhat tame this morning, if I sweat a lot its gonna be guinness and irish nachos....lovely....
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