Hello there. It has come to my attention that a great deal of my entries are related to movies and movie reviews. I have decided to branch off a new blog about movies and film specifically, leaving this blogger La Pajarita space for other topics. Here is the link to my new film site, Medicinema. (http://melissasmedicinema.wordpress.com/). This is what I have done instead of preparing for my class which I will begin teaching on Wednesday. Oops!
To begin I will probably just be moving previous film-related entries from this blogger site to the new one. However, if you are interested in film, please follow this new blog as I will be posting new reviews, critiques and commentary in the near future. Thanks for your support!
Showing posts with label film. Show all posts
Showing posts with label film. Show all posts
Friday, September 17, 2010
Saturday, July 31, 2010
The Kids Are All Right
Once again, my movie review is going to contain spoilers, so if you have not seen the film and don't want anything revealed ahead of time, read no more! I just will always put this kind of disclaimer up because one time I went to a friend's house while he was watching Fight Club, walked in around the time of the big Tyler Durden plot twist, and he knowingly let me ruin the entire movie before I got to watch it from the beginning.
Last night I saw director Lisa Cholodenko's newest film, The Kids Are All Right. Jules (Julianne Moore) and Nic (Annette Bening) are a lesbian couple living in Southern California with their two children, Laser and Joni. Fifteen year old Laser decides he wants to contact the sperm donor responsible for bringing him and his sister into the world. Legally, eighteen year old Joni has to make the contact with donor Paul. Paul is a smooth-talking 30-something organic farmer/restaurateur whose hyper-masculine persona and irresponsible behavior first gains the love and admiration of the family, then their disgust and anger.
Rather than to regurgitate the plot here further, I want to talk about the way the movie addresses sexuality. I do not want to overstep my bounds here, after all, Cholodenko is, herself, a lesbian, and thus I trust that as the director she portrayed the lives of Jules and Nic in a way that was similar to her own experiences. After all, Cholodenko herself had a child with her life partner through an anonymous sperm donor. That being said, I was mostly pleased with the way sexuality and gender were portrayed in The Kids Are All Right.
To begin, I liked that this was a film that did not fall into the typical trap of needing to characterize the lesbian couple as a copy of a male and female couple. I wouldn't say there was a butch or a femme role assumed by either Nic or Jules, which was refreshing to see, as I feel that lesbians are often portrayed as one hyper-masculine and one hyper-feminine partner. Sure, there was masculine and feminine performativity carried out by both characters, you can't strip away the fact that gender is inherent, or at least deeply associated with many different traits. According to US or Western social standards, Nic's short pixie haircut and no-nonsense attitude may be seen as a more masculine performance, while her sensitivity and maternal protectiveness is typically associated more with femininity. I don't try to fall into these generalizations, of course men can be family-oriented and women cut their hair short all of the time. But there are gendered associations with behaviors and appearances in every culture, and I doubt you can argue that the associations I just laid down there don't ring true, at least in the US. Thankfully, the film doesn't portray these characteristics and behaviors as dichotomous.
I also like the way that sexuality was interpreted as a more fluid and complicated matter than simply hetero or homo. Nic and Jules get their kicks in the bedroom while watching all male porn. In fact, Jules goes quite in depth about the fluidity and convolutedness of sexuality when Laser asks why she and Nic watch "gay man porn." Definitely a funny part of the movie as the hippie-esque Jules tries to be honestly explicit when explaining herself to her fifteen year old.
Jules does not turn out to follow an explicitly homosexual path as well, when she eventually comes to cheat on Nic with sperm donor Paul. I think this is where those who identify as strictly heterosexual or homosexual (i.e. 0 and 6 on the Kinsey scale) might have problems. I might be assuming here, but I have a feeling that many people thought, or even whispered to a fellow movie-goer "but I thought she was gay," at the onset of Jules and Paul's affair. And indeed, when Paul proposes that he and Jules move their relationship to an even more serious level after their affair is discovered by Nic, Jules says into the phone "I'm gay," maybe even further confusing many audience members. But I think this was a realistic exhibition of human sexuality, especially under the conditions that the family and Jules was under. Namely, Joni is an emotional 18-year old preparing to leave for college, Nic is stressed out about Paul's arrival and is downing more wine than ever, Laser is experimenting with drugs and hanging out with a sociopath, and Jules is trying to start a business and productive working lifestyle for the third time. Paul comes along and becomes Jules' first customer at her new upstart landscape design business, and this galvanizes the whole sexual escapade.
Although I delved into the sexuality of the film, The Kids Are All Right is a movie that really tackles family, growing up, infidelity and other issues that many mainstream or heterocentric films cover, but it shows how these same issues are present in nontraditional (in typical Western culture) family structures. Any of the problems that come up are neither further exacerbated nor smoothed over by the fact that Jules and Nic are in a homosexual relationship, and I think that is such a good step in a society where many still think that shows like the L-Word are the Last Word (heh) in lesbian relationship representation.
Last night I saw director Lisa Cholodenko's newest film, The Kids Are All Right. Jules (Julianne Moore) and Nic (Annette Bening) are a lesbian couple living in Southern California with their two children, Laser and Joni. Fifteen year old Laser decides he wants to contact the sperm donor responsible for bringing him and his sister into the world. Legally, eighteen year old Joni has to make the contact with donor Paul. Paul is a smooth-talking 30-something organic farmer/restaurateur whose hyper-masculine persona and irresponsible behavior first gains the love and admiration of the family, then their disgust and anger.
Rather than to regurgitate the plot here further, I want to talk about the way the movie addresses sexuality. I do not want to overstep my bounds here, after all, Cholodenko is, herself, a lesbian, and thus I trust that as the director she portrayed the lives of Jules and Nic in a way that was similar to her own experiences. After all, Cholodenko herself had a child with her life partner through an anonymous sperm donor. That being said, I was mostly pleased with the way sexuality and gender were portrayed in The Kids Are All Right.
To begin, I liked that this was a film that did not fall into the typical trap of needing to characterize the lesbian couple as a copy of a male and female couple. I wouldn't say there was a butch or a femme role assumed by either Nic or Jules, which was refreshing to see, as I feel that lesbians are often portrayed as one hyper-masculine and one hyper-feminine partner. Sure, there was masculine and feminine performativity carried out by both characters, you can't strip away the fact that gender is inherent, or at least deeply associated with many different traits. According to US or Western social standards, Nic's short pixie haircut and no-nonsense attitude may be seen as a more masculine performance, while her sensitivity and maternal protectiveness is typically associated more with femininity. I don't try to fall into these generalizations, of course men can be family-oriented and women cut their hair short all of the time. But there are gendered associations with behaviors and appearances in every culture, and I doubt you can argue that the associations I just laid down there don't ring true, at least in the US. Thankfully, the film doesn't portray these characteristics and behaviors as dichotomous.
I also like the way that sexuality was interpreted as a more fluid and complicated matter than simply hetero or homo. Nic and Jules get their kicks in the bedroom while watching all male porn. In fact, Jules goes quite in depth about the fluidity and convolutedness of sexuality when Laser asks why she and Nic watch "gay man porn." Definitely a funny part of the movie as the hippie-esque Jules tries to be honestly explicit when explaining herself to her fifteen year old.
Jules does not turn out to follow an explicitly homosexual path as well, when she eventually comes to cheat on Nic with sperm donor Paul. I think this is where those who identify as strictly heterosexual or homosexual (i.e. 0 and 6 on the Kinsey scale) might have problems. I might be assuming here, but I have a feeling that many people thought, or even whispered to a fellow movie-goer "but I thought she was gay," at the onset of Jules and Paul's affair. And indeed, when Paul proposes that he and Jules move their relationship to an even more serious level after their affair is discovered by Nic, Jules says into the phone "I'm gay," maybe even further confusing many audience members. But I think this was a realistic exhibition of human sexuality, especially under the conditions that the family and Jules was under. Namely, Joni is an emotional 18-year old preparing to leave for college, Nic is stressed out about Paul's arrival and is downing more wine than ever, Laser is experimenting with drugs and hanging out with a sociopath, and Jules is trying to start a business and productive working lifestyle for the third time. Paul comes along and becomes Jules' first customer at her new upstart landscape design business, and this galvanizes the whole sexual escapade.
Although I delved into the sexuality of the film, The Kids Are All Right is a movie that really tackles family, growing up, infidelity and other issues that many mainstream or heterocentric films cover, but it shows how these same issues are present in nontraditional (in typical Western culture) family structures. Any of the problems that come up are neither further exacerbated nor smoothed over by the fact that Jules and Nic are in a homosexual relationship, and I think that is such a good step in a society where many still think that shows like the L-Word are the Last Word (heh) in lesbian relationship representation.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Big Fan vs. Buffalo 66
All I know is the world of response papers and data analysis. This has seeped into my personal life. Here is a comparison of two films: Big Fan and Buffalo 66.
Big Fan (2009)
Oswalt plays 37-year old “Paul from Staten Island,” one of the biggest NY Giant fans in town, but also maybe one of the most broke. He works at a parking garage payment booth and lives with his mother who nags him about getting a job and family, things that “normal people” have. He loves to tailgate at the home Giants games, but unfortunately can only afford to watch the games on TV in the parking lot with his best (only?) friend, Sal (Kevin Corrigan). He especially idolizes Quantrell Bishop, the Giants’ star quarterback. He gets his kicks from calling a local radio show and ragging out his arch-nemesis-of-the-radio-waves, Philadelphia Phil (Michael Rappaport, hell yeah!). Long story short, said idol QB Bishop kicks the shit out of Paul in a nightclub and as a result Phil is comatose for three days. When he comes back-to, he is surrounded by reporters, detectives, and his own attorney brother who all want him to press charges. Paul just wants the Giants to do well, and he knows if Bishop is convicted, he won’t be able to play. This is Paul’s struggle.
Buffalo 66 (1998)
Billy Brown was brought up by a neurotic and selfish family. His mother (Anjelica Huston) is an avid Buffalo Bills fan and thinks about little else. His father (Ben Gazzara) is, well, a weird asshole? Billy gets out of jail and has to reconstruct the glamorous lifestyle he has been lying to his parents about since his incarceration. Enter Layla (Christina Ricci). Kidnapped and forced to play into the charade as Billy's doting wife, "Wendy Balsam," Ricci goes along with the whole thing. An odd family reunion ensues, and we get a taste of just how weird Billy’s life must have always been. We wonder, how did he get into jail in the first place? Well, ironically enough, it’s because of the Bills, baby. Billy Brown made a bet for the Bills to win the Superbowl, and surprise surprise, they don’t win. He doesn’t have the cash to pay for the bet, so he takes the wrap for someone else’s crime (we never know what this crime is). This is in exchange for the bookie (Mickey Rourke) to not break his legs. Billy never forgets the losing game, and blames the Bill’s (quarterback?) Scott Woods. He goes to Woods’ strip club to blow his brains out.
So we have NFL football teams and their failures as big blows to the protagonists of these films. Both Paul and Billy have families that seemingly do not understand them. One key difference here is that Paul doesn’t pretend to be something he’s not, and expects his family to take him at face value. Billy, on the other hand, hides his incarceration from his family, replacing the truth with a string of lies about his successful government job and loving wife. Both Paul and Billy plan the violent demise of a nemesis, but neither actually goes through with it. And both have encounters with their (former or current) football hero. Each of them has a loser best friend, and guess what, they are played by the same actor (Kevin Corrigan)!!! I think I have a new favorite actor by the way, and it is he. He isn’t even credited in Buffalo 66 by the way. He was also in Zebrahead and True Romance along with Michael Rappaport, oh the connections!
Both of these films are darkly funny, but Buffalo 66 is definitely darker. I think Big Fan is trying to be a more mainstream version of Buffalo 66, but I don’t think the mainstream public got the memo, because I don’t think Big Fan did very well in theaters. Either way, I think most people would like Big Fan, if only nominally, and it’s nice to see a new movie every now and again. I won’t be going out to buy it anytime soon, but it is good to know that not everything hitting theaters these days is a romantic comedy starring Jennifer Aniston.
Update: Coincidentally enough, I checked out the Rotten Tomatoes webpage and saw that they are currently accepting submissions for Homage or Stealing: You Make the Call, a segment sometimes featured on the show. I submitted another video for consideration, check it out on their page! Here's hoping they use it!
Big Fan (2009)
Oswalt plays 37-year old “Paul from Staten Island,” one of the biggest NY Giant fans in town, but also maybe one of the most broke. He works at a parking garage payment booth and lives with his mother who nags him about getting a job and family, things that “normal people” have. He loves to tailgate at the home Giants games, but unfortunately can only afford to watch the games on TV in the parking lot with his best (only?) friend, Sal (Kevin Corrigan). He especially idolizes Quantrell Bishop, the Giants’ star quarterback. He gets his kicks from calling a local radio show and ragging out his arch-nemesis-of-the-radio-waves, Philadelphia Phil (Michael Rappaport, hell yeah!). Long story short, said idol QB Bishop kicks the shit out of Paul in a nightclub and as a result Phil is comatose for three days. When he comes back-to, he is surrounded by reporters, detectives, and his own attorney brother who all want him to press charges. Paul just wants the Giants to do well, and he knows if Bishop is convicted, he won’t be able to play. This is Paul’s struggle.
Buffalo 66 (1998)
Billy Brown was brought up by a neurotic and selfish family. His mother (Anjelica Huston) is an avid Buffalo Bills fan and thinks about little else. His father (Ben Gazzara) is, well, a weird asshole? Billy gets out of jail and has to reconstruct the glamorous lifestyle he has been lying to his parents about since his incarceration. Enter Layla (Christina Ricci). Kidnapped and forced to play into the charade as Billy's doting wife, "Wendy Balsam," Ricci goes along with the whole thing. An odd family reunion ensues, and we get a taste of just how weird Billy’s life must have always been. We wonder, how did he get into jail in the first place? Well, ironically enough, it’s because of the Bills, baby. Billy Brown made a bet for the Bills to win the Superbowl, and surprise surprise, they don’t win. He doesn’t have the cash to pay for the bet, so he takes the wrap for someone else’s crime (we never know what this crime is). This is in exchange for the bookie (Mickey Rourke) to not break his legs. Billy never forgets the losing game, and blames the Bill’s (quarterback?) Scott Woods. He goes to Woods’ strip club to blow his brains out.
So we have NFL football teams and their failures as big blows to the protagonists of these films. Both Paul and Billy have families that seemingly do not understand them. One key difference here is that Paul doesn’t pretend to be something he’s not, and expects his family to take him at face value. Billy, on the other hand, hides his incarceration from his family, replacing the truth with a string of lies about his successful government job and loving wife. Both Paul and Billy plan the violent demise of a nemesis, but neither actually goes through with it. And both have encounters with their (former or current) football hero. Each of them has a loser best friend, and guess what, they are played by the same actor (Kevin Corrigan)!!! I think I have a new favorite actor by the way, and it is he. He isn’t even credited in Buffalo 66 by the way. He was also in Zebrahead and True Romance along with Michael Rappaport, oh the connections!
Both of these films are darkly funny, but Buffalo 66 is definitely darker. I think Big Fan is trying to be a more mainstream version of Buffalo 66, but I don’t think the mainstream public got the memo, because I don’t think Big Fan did very well in theaters. Either way, I think most people would like Big Fan, if only nominally, and it’s nice to see a new movie every now and again. I won’t be going out to buy it anytime soon, but it is good to know that not everything hitting theaters these days is a romantic comedy starring Jennifer Aniston.
Update: Coincidentally enough, I checked out the Rotten Tomatoes webpage and saw that they are currently accepting submissions for Homage or Stealing: You Make the Call, a segment sometimes featured on the show. I submitted another video for consideration, check it out on their page! Here's hoping they use it!
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Silencio. (Ponderings on David Lynch)
That is the final word of David Lynch's Mulholland Drive. No hay banda. No hay orquesta. Silencio.
Sorry about the Portuguese subtitles. Or not.
Here's la Llorona de Los Angeles. Clearly the best rendition of Crying I have ever heard.
But damnit, what does it all mean? Of course I could (and have done so to an extent) look up this information online, to see what the other cinephiles have to say. But I have preferred to try to come up with my own interpretations through personal conversation and discussion. It is because of the complexity and ambiguity of Mr. Lynch's works that has, as of late, sparked my interest once again in the world of film and cinema. I only wish I could be in a film class discussing Lynch in a room full of people for class credit.
Here's another scene with subtitles in Portuguese again. The Cowboy.
So in the film, the Cowboy shows up two more times to the audience. But maybe only once to the director. Did he do bad? He followed the Cowboy's orders, so he did good, right? My brain is scrambled. I learned that Mulholland Dr. was originally a pilot episode, so maybe a great deal of things were presented that would have been otherwise uncovered in the course of a television series, but loose ends were left that could not be tied up in a 2.5 hour movie. Anyone? Anyone?
In high school I was introduced to a myriad of some of my favorite films by two of my good friends, Dan and Matt. They introduced me to all of this craziness at 16, 17, 18 years old, but never talked to me about it. (If either of you read this by the way, why the hell didn't we talk about these??) For the most part, I would watch all of these movies alone, and either be creeped out or awestruck. Even after being creeped out (with such films as Gummo), I still obsessed over the movies enough to conclude that I did, in fact, like them. Then I bought them and watched them again. Alone. Here is a list of my movie collection by the way. If I know you in the flesh, and you are interested in borrowing any of them, you may. For a nominal fee. Just kidding. Though I have been thinking of starting up my own little Netflix business since I rarely watch any of my movies these days.
I am happy that I am now starting to discuss these movies out loud with Jose and Jeff so that I can A. get my own thoughts out in a semi-cohesive manner, and B. get someone else's insights and perspectives that I may have otherwise not considered.
If you think you might like to get into some David Lynch, but you are a novice, I would recommend not going in chronological order with his films. Starting with Eraserhead might just turn you off. Save that one for last. Start with something tamer, like The Elephant Man (which, coincidentally I have not yet seen). Or maybe The Straight Story, a G-rated Disney flick directed by Lynch. He reported said about the film: "Tenderness can be just as abstract as insanity." True that Mr. L. Once you get the tame stuff out of the way, go after Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive. Try a little Twin Peaks while you're at it (start with the series, move on to the film Fire Walk with Me). I know I just put a link there to the opening credits, but that song and footage will take your mind and heart to an emotional place if you fall in love with the series like I did. Be wary of the second season, though. People start turning into doorknobs.
I sure love Agent Dale Cooper. Watch out for Mr. Lynch in this clip as well (at 00:36).
I will conclude with a list of some of my favorite films from my collection. A second installment will follow in a later entry. They are in alphabetical order because their preference is so fluid in my mind. Please do check them out some day. Most of them are available at (insert university/academic institution here)'s library video collection. Expect a review of Antichrist by Lars von Trier in the near future. And if you have seen it, explain that shit to me! Is it intentionally misogynistic? Does the changed ending cheapen the meaning behind the original concept? So many questions! And if you have not seen it, you probably shouldn't, haha.
1. Adaptation- dir. Spike Jonze- The only Nicholas Cage portrayal I enjoy. Meryl Streep does drugs with a toothless Chris Cooper. All around lovely and witty. Favorite line: Chris Cooper (to Meryl Streep) You're shinier than any ant, darlin'.
2. Amores Perros- dir. Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu. I love the whole multiple stories coming together thing. Soundtrack is awesome.
3. Blue Velvet- dir. David Lynch. Kyle McLaughlin is clownin', but Laura Dern still loves him anyway. Isabella Rossalini is nuts, unlike her current Green Porno project with the Sundance Channel, which is totally sane.
4. Buffalo 66- dir. Vincent Gallo. I don't know what to think of Vincent Gallo, or his gigolo ways. But I love this film so much. Angelica Huston is an awesomely selfish Buffalo Bills fan, and Christina Ricci is appropriately plump. If made to pick a favorite NFL team, it would be the Buffalo Bills strictly because of this film.
5. Clockwork Orange- dir. Stanley Kubrick. It is disturbing, yet funny. It has a message and its own language, my little droogies.
6. Dancer in the Dark- dir. Lars von Trier. It is heart-wrenching. Maybe moreso becaus the main character is Bjork. I was her character, Selma, from this film last year for Halloween. I can't say much more about it. There are musical numbers, but that's ok. :)
7. Gummo- dir./writ. Harmony Korrine. Because I openly love this movie, people seem to want to suggest horrific, disturbing movies to me. Many can't stomach this film. It has been, and may always be, one of my favorite films of all time. Key words: Xenia, OH; culture of poverty, black gay Jewish little person; downs syndrome prostitution.
8. The Royal Tenenbaums- dir. Wes Anderson. I still haven't seen Mr. Anderson's new film, Fantastic Mr. Fox, but as a general rule all of his films are winners. This one is my favorite because it was my first one of his. I love Royal Tenebaum's "adopted daughter Margot," another Halloween costume inspiration. I love dry humor. All around fantastic.
9. Happiness- dir. Todd Solondz. Another film that is hard to stomach. It deals with pedophilia and obsession. Phillip Seymour Hoffman at his mouth-breathingest. Last line of the movie (from the mouth of a child) "I came."
10. Me and You and Everyone We Know- dir./writ. Miranda July. I want to meet Miranda July. Judging from her writing I think she is probably like her character in this movie. The characters are all lovable, even the guy who writes and posts sex notes to high school girls in his apartment window. I love that Cody Chestnutt is referenced. This is a great movie. You want to see it. Back and Forth, forever.
Sorry I just put you through that, but this is my passion and I want to share it with you. This is not the last you will hear from me and my favorite films. It is probably not the last you will hear of these movies in particular around these parts, either.
Sorry about the Portuguese subtitles. Or not.
Here's la Llorona de Los Angeles. Clearly the best rendition of Crying I have ever heard.
But damnit, what does it all mean? Of course I could (and have done so to an extent) look up this information online, to see what the other cinephiles have to say. But I have preferred to try to come up with my own interpretations through personal conversation and discussion. It is because of the complexity and ambiguity of Mr. Lynch's works that has, as of late, sparked my interest once again in the world of film and cinema. I only wish I could be in a film class discussing Lynch in a room full of people for class credit.
Here's another scene with subtitles in Portuguese again. The Cowboy.
So in the film, the Cowboy shows up two more times to the audience. But maybe only once to the director. Did he do bad? He followed the Cowboy's orders, so he did good, right? My brain is scrambled. I learned that Mulholland Dr. was originally a pilot episode, so maybe a great deal of things were presented that would have been otherwise uncovered in the course of a television series, but loose ends were left that could not be tied up in a 2.5 hour movie. Anyone? Anyone?
In high school I was introduced to a myriad of some of my favorite films by two of my good friends, Dan and Matt. They introduced me to all of this craziness at 16, 17, 18 years old, but never talked to me about it. (If either of you read this by the way, why the hell didn't we talk about these??) For the most part, I would watch all of these movies alone, and either be creeped out or awestruck. Even after being creeped out (with such films as Gummo), I still obsessed over the movies enough to conclude that I did, in fact, like them. Then I bought them and watched them again. Alone. Here is a list of my movie collection by the way. If I know you in the flesh, and you are interested in borrowing any of them, you may. For a nominal fee. Just kidding. Though I have been thinking of starting up my own little Netflix business since I rarely watch any of my movies these days.
I am happy that I am now starting to discuss these movies out loud with Jose and Jeff so that I can A. get my own thoughts out in a semi-cohesive manner, and B. get someone else's insights and perspectives that I may have otherwise not considered.
If you think you might like to get into some David Lynch, but you are a novice, I would recommend not going in chronological order with his films. Starting with Eraserhead might just turn you off. Save that one for last. Start with something tamer, like The Elephant Man (which, coincidentally I have not yet seen). Or maybe The Straight Story, a G-rated Disney flick directed by Lynch. He reported said about the film: "Tenderness can be just as abstract as insanity." True that Mr. L. Once you get the tame stuff out of the way, go after Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive. Try a little Twin Peaks while you're at it (start with the series, move on to the film Fire Walk with Me). I know I just put a link there to the opening credits, but that song and footage will take your mind and heart to an emotional place if you fall in love with the series like I did. Be wary of the second season, though. People start turning into doorknobs.
I sure love Agent Dale Cooper. Watch out for Mr. Lynch in this clip as well (at 00:36).
I will conclude with a list of some of my favorite films from my collection. A second installment will follow in a later entry. They are in alphabetical order because their preference is so fluid in my mind. Please do check them out some day. Most of them are available at (insert university/academic institution here)'s library video collection. Expect a review of Antichrist by Lars von Trier in the near future. And if you have seen it, explain that shit to me! Is it intentionally misogynistic? Does the changed ending cheapen the meaning behind the original concept? So many questions! And if you have not seen it, you probably shouldn't, haha.
1. Adaptation- dir. Spike Jonze- The only Nicholas Cage portrayal I enjoy. Meryl Streep does drugs with a toothless Chris Cooper. All around lovely and witty. Favorite line: Chris Cooper (to Meryl Streep) You're shinier than any ant, darlin'.
2. Amores Perros- dir. Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu. I love the whole multiple stories coming together thing. Soundtrack is awesome.
3. Blue Velvet- dir. David Lynch. Kyle McLaughlin is clownin', but Laura Dern still loves him anyway. Isabella Rossalini is nuts, unlike her current Green Porno project with the Sundance Channel, which is totally sane.
4. Buffalo 66- dir. Vincent Gallo. I don't know what to think of Vincent Gallo, or his gigolo ways. But I love this film so much. Angelica Huston is an awesomely selfish Buffalo Bills fan, and Christina Ricci is appropriately plump. If made to pick a favorite NFL team, it would be the Buffalo Bills strictly because of this film.
5. Clockwork Orange- dir. Stanley Kubrick. It is disturbing, yet funny. It has a message and its own language, my little droogies.
6. Dancer in the Dark- dir. Lars von Trier. It is heart-wrenching. Maybe moreso becaus the main character is Bjork. I was her character, Selma, from this film last year for Halloween. I can't say much more about it. There are musical numbers, but that's ok. :)
7. Gummo- dir./writ. Harmony Korrine. Because I openly love this movie, people seem to want to suggest horrific, disturbing movies to me. Many can't stomach this film. It has been, and may always be, one of my favorite films of all time. Key words: Xenia, OH; culture of poverty, black gay Jewish little person; downs syndrome prostitution.
8. The Royal Tenenbaums- dir. Wes Anderson. I still haven't seen Mr. Anderson's new film, Fantastic Mr. Fox, but as a general rule all of his films are winners. This one is my favorite because it was my first one of his. I love Royal Tenebaum's "adopted daughter Margot," another Halloween costume inspiration. I love dry humor. All around fantastic.
9. Happiness- dir. Todd Solondz. Another film that is hard to stomach. It deals with pedophilia and obsession. Phillip Seymour Hoffman at his mouth-breathingest. Last line of the movie (from the mouth of a child) "I came."
10. Me and You and Everyone We Know- dir./writ. Miranda July. I want to meet Miranda July. Judging from her writing I think she is probably like her character in this movie. The characters are all lovable, even the guy who writes and posts sex notes to high school girls in his apartment window. I love that Cody Chestnutt is referenced. This is a great movie. You want to see it. Back and Forth, forever.
Sorry I just put you through that, but this is my passion and I want to share it with you. This is not the last you will hear from me and my favorite films. It is probably not the last you will hear of these movies in particular around these parts, either.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Day-O!
I have had a really bad past couple of days. Maybe you have felt the same way lately. Maybe this will cheer you up like it did for me, if you have the same nostaglia for Beetlejuice and love for Catherine O'Hara as I do.
And here's another great music moment from The Royal Tenebaums that's lovely.
That is all.
And here's another great music moment from The Royal Tenebaums that's lovely.
That is all.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Alice in Wonderland- A minute Review
I submitted this clip for consideration for the Current TV show, Rotten Tomatoes.
Here is a clip from Jan Svankmajer's version:
In addition to this short video, I have plenty to say about the movie. I wanted it to be incredible since I am such a fan of Alice in Wonderland. Unfortunately, I'm more of a fan of American McGee's video game version of Alice in Wonderland that Tim Burton's highly anticipated film. I wanted it to be darker and more sinister. Although the insanity angle is played more thoroughly in Tim Burton's new movie than Dinsey's cartoon version, I still could have used more insanity. The acting was so exaggerated it drove me crazy. Anne Hathaway's character, the White Queen, is always talking in the delicate whisper of a Disney princess, and always waving her hands back and forth whimsically. It was distracting to the point that I was hyper-aware of Hathaway's presence as an actress, and I didn't lose myself in the fantasy of Underland or any of its characters. Helena Bonham Carter (as the Red Queen) was by far the most enchanting part of the film, and I was relieved for her contribution whenever she came into a scene.
My disappointment may have partially come from the fact that I was in the fourth row at an IMAX theater, and my eyes and brain were fried after the 2 hour 3-D joyride. But I had been looking forward to this movie for a long time, and was heartbroken to be let down by Mr. Burton's rendition.
Here is a clip from Jan Svankmajer's version:
In addition to this short video, I have plenty to say about the movie. I wanted it to be incredible since I am such a fan of Alice in Wonderland. Unfortunately, I'm more of a fan of American McGee's video game version of Alice in Wonderland that Tim Burton's highly anticipated film. I wanted it to be darker and more sinister. Although the insanity angle is played more thoroughly in Tim Burton's new movie than Dinsey's cartoon version, I still could have used more insanity. The acting was so exaggerated it drove me crazy. Anne Hathaway's character, the White Queen, is always talking in the delicate whisper of a Disney princess, and always waving her hands back and forth whimsically. It was distracting to the point that I was hyper-aware of Hathaway's presence as an actress, and I didn't lose myself in the fantasy of Underland or any of its characters. Helena Bonham Carter (as the Red Queen) was by far the most enchanting part of the film, and I was relieved for her contribution whenever she came into a scene.
My disappointment may have partially come from the fact that I was in the fourth row at an IMAX theater, and my eyes and brain were fried after the 2 hour 3-D joyride. But I had been looking forward to this movie for a long time, and was heartbroken to be let down by Mr. Burton's rendition.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Blog numero uno
Oh dear, it appears as though I have started a blog. And why would I want to do that? Well, I will tell you right now, friend. As I approach the end of my penultimate quarter at Ohio University, I realize that although graduate school for me has been a stress-filled adventure, I thrive on academic discussions. My interests include, but are not limited to:
1. Feminism and Gender studies (study of gender within the media, studies of femininities and masculinities, the study of women and the environment)
2. Race studies
3. Latin America in general -> Mexico more specifically, and Venezuela on occasion.-> Tijuana/San Diego most specifically. Haiti has also always fascinated me from what I have learned from Randall Robinson and Franz Fanon
4. Environmental Studies- my knowledge of this is more on the political and/or educational side than the scientific side of, say, climate change.
5. Literature (although my formal education seems to be getting in the way of my pleasure reading)
6. Foreign Languages (Spanish and Portuguese)
7....and along with foriegn languages, travel
8. Teaching (something I never thought I would find such an interest in, but now as a Spanish teacher, it's a pretty big part of my life)
9. Film- I love movies. Especially the films of Vincent Gallo, Werner Herzog, Wes Anderson, Harmony Korrine, Lars von Trier, and Alejandro González Iñárritu to name the tip top.
Those are my interests right off the top of my head thinking about classes I've taken, research I've participated in, literature I've read, and things, places and people with which/whom I have come into contact. Of course my discussions on this blog will not be limited to such materials.
Right now might not be the best time to begin such an endeavor, as it will probably distract me from the real tasks at hand in my life, which are:
1. Assignments for my capstone course for the Women's and Gender Studies certificate
2. My thesis on Women and Environmental Advocacy on the US-Mexico Border
3. Lesson planning and teaching Spanish 112- the second in a series of 3 beginning Spanish classes.
4. Figuring out what life will be for me after I graduate with my Master's Degree in Latin American Studies (will I move to San Diego or am I doomed to stay in cold and snowy Ohio, working at Columbus State?)
5. Research assistance-ship hours with my academic advisor/Chair for my thesis committee, Risa Whitson.
6. Planning my presentations for A.) the International Student Union Research Symposium and B.) the Ohio Latinamericanist Conference.
As I finish up my Master's Degree I will probably be blogging sporadically and mostly about content pertaining to my classes and my thesis. As I mentioned previously, I am starting this blog so that I can continue to engage in meaningful and thoughtful "conversation" about my interests and passions. I encourage readers to post comments so that a dialogue can grow from my comments and questions. I welcome your ideas, comments, suggestions and questions. Thanks for reading!
1. Feminism and Gender studies (study of gender within the media, studies of femininities and masculinities, the study of women and the environment)
2. Race studies
3. Latin America in general -> Mexico more specifically, and Venezuela on occasion.-> Tijuana/San Diego most specifically. Haiti has also always fascinated me from what I have learned from Randall Robinson and Franz Fanon
4. Environmental Studies- my knowledge of this is more on the political and/or educational side than the scientific side of, say, climate change.
5. Literature (although my formal education seems to be getting in the way of my pleasure reading)
6. Foreign Languages (Spanish and Portuguese)
7....and along with foriegn languages, travel
8. Teaching (something I never thought I would find such an interest in, but now as a Spanish teacher, it's a pretty big part of my life)
9. Film- I love movies. Especially the films of Vincent Gallo, Werner Herzog, Wes Anderson, Harmony Korrine, Lars von Trier, and Alejandro González Iñárritu to name the tip top.
Those are my interests right off the top of my head thinking about classes I've taken, research I've participated in, literature I've read, and things, places and people with which/whom I have come into contact. Of course my discussions on this blog will not be limited to such materials.
Right now might not be the best time to begin such an endeavor, as it will probably distract me from the real tasks at hand in my life, which are:
1. Assignments for my capstone course for the Women's and Gender Studies certificate
2. My thesis on Women and Environmental Advocacy on the US-Mexico Border
3. Lesson planning and teaching Spanish 112- the second in a series of 3 beginning Spanish classes.
4. Figuring out what life will be for me after I graduate with my Master's Degree in Latin American Studies (will I move to San Diego or am I doomed to stay in cold and snowy Ohio, working at Columbus State?)
5. Research assistance-ship hours with my academic advisor/Chair for my thesis committee, Risa Whitson.
6. Planning my presentations for A.) the International Student Union Research Symposium and B.) the Ohio Latinamericanist Conference.
As I finish up my Master's Degree I will probably be blogging sporadically and mostly about content pertaining to my classes and my thesis. As I mentioned previously, I am starting this blog so that I can continue to engage in meaningful and thoughtful "conversation" about my interests and passions. I encourage readers to post comments so that a dialogue can grow from my comments and questions. I welcome your ideas, comments, suggestions and questions. Thanks for reading!
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