a weekend in indiana (the state:-)

...I saw two films for a second time...
The Prestige, which was intriguing to see again....
and Serenity, which is just an awesomely well done film...you should go see it...now.
You can also buy the complete series of the show it is based on - Firefly (highly recommended).

Nine Lives - 4

Rodrigo Garcia (Things you can tell just by looking at her) directs these nine vignettes about women who feel alienated by the world, who are looking for connection and reflecting on their pasts. The film seems scattered at first, but the audience soon finds that the characters are somewhat intertwined. The stories focus on mortality, and the relationships that are most important to these women. The film shows how life is always a struggle between how we are connected to others and the meaning that it creates for our lives and the disconnections and pain that comes from alienation, loneliness, and fear. A few of the vignettes are insightful and have emotional power, others seem contrived and over acted. The cast includes: Sissy Spacek, Holly Hunter, Robin Wright Penn, Glen Close, Dakota Fanning, and Amanda Seyfried.

From Here to Eternity - 7

In 1953, just twelve years after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, this film came to theaters and highlights the tranquility and complacently that was shattered on December 7, 1941 in Hawaii. The film follows two soldiers who become caught up in their off duty life- which are love interests. One has an affair with his supervisor's wife (who in present day would be called "slutty"). The other leaves the military as he is caught up in jealousy. This allows the film to have elements of film noir, both on the personal level as well as the national tragedy of that day. It is interesting to see this film since 9/11 and the parallels drawn to Pearl Harbor. The films that have come out since then, might have taken something from this film (if nothing else it starts some good conversation about the historical consequences of big ideas). This film is also famous for its Oscar awards, and the classic beach scene with Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr. Highly recommended.

The 39 Steps - 6

This early (1935) Hitchcock film takes place in London and Scotland. A Canadian tourist runs into a women who seems paranoid to secret agents following her. When she ends up dead, he goes on the search to find her killers, and discover if she was telling the truth. The film is significant because of it pushes the limits of censorship of the time, and is somewhat of a text example of cinematography and light. While I enjoyed the film, it is not Hitchcock's best- the story is very slow moving. Rear Window and Mr. & Mrs. Smith are much more fun and well done.

Lady Sovereign

She's white. She's British. She Raps? 20-year-old Lady Sovereign raps about how people are going to compare her to Eminem (Blah Blah). Which is a better comparison than with fellow Brit Dido, who became big by collaborating with Em. She tries to offend in the same way as he does and it is reminiscent, but she adds different beats. It's catchy, and she rips on the Queen and Prime Minister of England- "We ain't all posh like the queen, we ain't all squeaky clean, Now do the Tony Blair, throw your hands in the air everywhere" (My England). The first track on the album is a sarcastic joke about how being a celebrity is just like having a 9 to 5. While she is trying to show her credibility as a British misfit and is just rude at times, she has some serious skill at turning the phrase and stays above being a poser (she was signed to Def Jam by Jay-Z and collaborates with Missy Elliot on the final track). It is currently $7.99 at Bestbuy, it is not the best rap I've ever heard, but you can't claim to have wasted money.

The Prestige - 7

I loved this film. Maybe it is because it was directed by Christopher Nolan (In my opinion he has yet to make a bad film). The film tells you upfront that the plot is going to have three parts, just like a magic trick. (1) The promise, where the magician tells everyone that the world is ordinary and simple. (2) The turn, where the magician shows the audience something out of the ordinary or does something that seems impossible. And finally, (3) the prestige, where the magician sets things back to normal, or makes that which disappeared reappear. If you are one of those moviegoers that must figure out twists in the plot and must know the answer before you are told, you may have fun trying to figure it out (of you may critique it for being manipulative as M. Night Shyamalan has been accused of). But if you hold the film up to “just” that standard, you will miss out on a much deeper truth.
The plot of the film sets up two apprentice magicians (Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman) up against each other as the go there separate ways to make their own shows in London. As they try to out do each other, they guard their secrets, and the competition gets intense and violent. The key to the film is the discussion of the role of magic and illusion. The film cannot help making one reflect on how awe and wonder work when humans think about the fact that reality does not always conform to the way we think it should work. The question you have to ask yourself: Is it part of the human condition to want to be fooled? Once we know the secret, it looses its power; maybe it is better to remain a mystery. Avoid the shallow, and listen closely for the deeper truth.

Thank You for Smoking - 7

If you are avoiding this film because it is about smoking, then you are out of luck. Not one person lights up a cigarette in the whole picture. While the film's main character is a lobbyist for the Tobacco companies, the central idea of the film is sophistry. The film is a story of spin; how to say things in a way that is persuasive by putting your point in the best light, while helping the other person think that they are wrong. Nick Naylor (Aaron Eckhart) is the PR man for a research institute funded by Tobacco attempting to claim that smoking is not hazardous and should be the past time of everyone(hey its just good for business). William H. Macy is great as an incompetent Senator, and Rob Lowe nails the part as a Hollywood studio bigwig. This film is full of satire and hyperbole as it pursues this line of thought. In counter-point to this, is Naylor's responsibility for his son, who is living with his mother and step father. He is trying to teach his son about the spin that is put on all of life, and how uncritical most people are in trying to figure out the truth. The key point is that you can't make people want to choose for themselves, they have to come to it themselves. This film does a good job of showing the hilarity and often backwardness of our culture to truly engage in conversation that matters. Rather we spin and counter-spin our opinions which can make us numb to the info glut that bombards us. The value of this film is that you can't help but start thinking, and critical conversations are bound to ensue.

Raiders of the Lost Ark - 7

I was on the ride for this at Disneyland about 10 years ago, but have only now seen the film. A while it is a genre film (read Jason's defense of genre), it is a great use of the action/adventure prototype to tell an interesting story. This film is also a collaboration between George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. It shows. They realize that film's greatest feature is its ability to catch light. They use this in spectacular fashion and it actually makes the film better. The interplay of light and shadow is evident in most every shot. The story works too becuase one can suspend disbelief long enough to cheer on Indiana as he takes down the Nazi's single-handedly and gets the girl. A fun and entertaining film.

The Birth of a Nation - 7

50 years after the Civil War, D.W. Griffith commemorates in this film about reconstruction in the South following the war. If you have three hours, this is a great history lesson. It was an amazing lesson in filmmaking for me. In 1915, there is not audio, beside the classical music that scores the film. And obviously no color film, although this film uses creative use of filters and film- black and white for outdoors, sepia for indoors, and a red filter to signify night. The film uses text shots to give the view the story and some of the dialogue between the characters. This means that the actors have to move the story along with there bodies (which they do quite well, sometime to comedic effect- the emotions come through the screen for some of the actors/actress'. This made me realize even more the genius of Charlie Chaplin, who didn't need dialogue to tell a story). The narrative covers some of the battles of the war, Lee's surrender to Grant, Abraham Lincoln's assassination, and the rise of the Klu Klux Klan. It uses two families, one from the North, the other from the South, to show how their conflicting views play out as the country tries to go through this huge transition. While the film uses warnings (it uses the argument that seeing it on screen will help the audience understand the tragedy of war and do better) to try to speak against war, racism, and violence, its naivete was proved by the further uprising of the KKK and what turned out to be one of the bloodiest centuries. This film is must see for the serious film critic (I'm not quite there yet), it uses some very prime camera techniques that have been further developed, but it had little before it to use, it had to sort of invent techniques. We've come along way (there are homemade videos on YouTube that are more technically advanced, now if we could concert our efforts on a good story). The film makes an interesting case about the history that shaped America most, it is an acute picture.

Peter Bradley Adams

Earlier this year I went to see Garrison Starr at Club Cafe. The opener was the unexpected surprise. Peter Bradley Adams was half of the band eastmountainsouth (their arrangement of Hard Times was featured on the soundtrack to Crowe's Elizabethtown), he has now ventured out on his own with the album Gather Up. This album was produced in his living room with the help of Alexi Murdoch (read about Keith's fandom of Alexi here). It is a great combination of Americana and classical influence sounds, soon to be on a TV show near- or at least they should be (from 1995 to 2001 Peter had a job writing music to be used in film). The background vocals are beautiful.
Here are the lyrics to Little Stranger and here is the story behind it. All the lyrics are thoughtful.

There's a love he cannot hide
though he waits in the line to fight
so he looks up to welcome you, his child
little stranger girl, you are home tonight

he reaches out a thousand miles
an sends his voice to where you lie
and in your dreams he carries you, his child
little stranger girl, you are home tonight

when you have grown, you may ask why
and you will read these words he writes
and they will say, I thank you, my child,
little stranger girl, you are home tonight

Reds - 5

This won the Oscar in 1981 for director Warren Beatty. This film is in the epic tradition, almost Doctor Zhivago like. It follows a couple (as in John Reed and Louise Bryant in love- played by Warren Beatty and Diane Keaton) of American as they fall deeper and deeper in love, as they also fall deeper and deeper into the Russia and the socialist movement in America. The film is a three hour discussion of the socialist movement as seen by Americans from 1915-1920. The best part of the film is the last section in which Reed and Emma Goldman (Maureen Stapleton won supporting actress Oscar for this) discuss the consequences of ideas, and Reed realizes that love has a subordinate and lost place in the ideologies of politics. If the film were just this, I would be tempted to give it a higher ranking. The resolution of the love story is also done well. While the second part was a redeeming quality, I think the length of the film takes away from the story- the fact remains that it could easily be told in less. The film is also broken up by actual interviews with older people who were alive at the time. Jack Nicholson and Gene Hackman make appearances in the film as well. The trivia on Wikipedia is interesting and funny.

Jesus Camp - 6

This film, for everyone who has no idea this film is even out there (apparently very indie), is a documentary about Becky Fischer (read a lot more about the film here) and her children's ministry. Fischer is a Pentecostal Evangelical, who wants to train children to change the world for Christ. The film was made by Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady (The Boys of Baraka). The film highlights the beliefs that these kids are being raised into, which is a Christianity that is full of conviction. Conviction that the world is full of brokenness and sin, and in need of the saving work of Jesus. Most of the adults in the film interpret this to mean some form of political action, for example- protesting abortion, praying and blessing President Bush (who is an Evangelical Christian), and rejecting the influence of culture- like Harry Potter, Britney Spears, and the teaching of evolution. The film has the ability to incite a visceral response. But right at the moment you are outraged, disturbed, and offended, you realize that you are in the same boat as the people in the film. In this sense, the film is a very human one. The question of how to teach children or anyone for that matter, raises questions of epistemology that cannot be determined in an initial gut feeling. One could ask the question: Is there any education that is not manipulation or coercion? And how would one recognize it? I think these kids are being somewhat manipulated, but then again my own view is one where the means are not inherently different, rather it is the ends. That may end up changing the whole picture. One thing I think the film could have been better at was filming the questions asked of the people talking to the camera (I am not sure when this is the case or not, but some of the responses seemed to be initiated by the filmmakers questions and responses). There assumption is that the characters tell the story by showing up and saying what they say, but the story is built in part by the editing, which is done by the directors. According to the site, everyone in the film thought they were honestly portrayed (with the exception of Ted Haggard). Here is a response to the film by Ted Haggard who is in the film briefly, and seems to be the only one in the film that disliked it (He claims it is leftist, and anti-evangelical). Here is a response to this by the filmmakers. Worth reading to continue the dialogue and questions this film raises about Christianity and contemporary culture. A thought provoking film.

The Proposition - 7

This is a 'western' written by Nick Cave. The film takes place in Cave's native Australia, but uses a lot of elements from the traditional Hollywood western for its story and plot development. The basic story is about a gang of bandit brothers, who the lawmen would like to see dead. In an attempt to bring justice a local sheriff gives the middle brother, Charlie (Guy Pearce), the ultimatum of killing his older brother to save his younger one. The brothers live as bandits outside of the town, and the story becomes a way of showing the stark differences between "civilized" life in the town, and the brutal chaos of the outback lands. The question becomes: do humans tame nature, or does nature tame humanity? The final confrontation in the most obvious example where the sheriff and his wife are having a Christmas dinner, when the brothers burst in. The film focuses on Charlie who is on the search for redemption. A word about watching this film, there is a good amount of blood and killing, if you have somewhat of a weak stomach for this, it might be hard to watch. Read Evan's good review here.

Winter Pays for Summer

I just got Glen Phillip's 2005 album Winter Pays for Summer. The best music I have listened to in a while. It has both slower acoustic songs with sort of a country feel, as well as upbeat rock songs, just listen. He has a more recent album, but this one will get me through the end of the year, at least. Guess I'll add that to the Christmas list.

Courage

At the start of the conversation
I didn't have much to say
I was looking for some inspiration
You just got in my way
Took a shot at an easy target
You were too stunned to say anything
You were the unsuspecting martyr
You were not the most dangerous game

Bring my courage back now
Bring it back to me
Tired of being afraid of what I can't change
And I want to be living free
I don't want to be a prisoner
I want to live free

Well it could be I was mistaken
Could be that I deceived myself
But it's hard to understand somebody
Who doesn't want to understand himself
There's an ocean of unlatched windows
And a world of unlocked homes
The only reason anybody still feels safe
Is most people still knock on the door

Bring my courage back now
Bring it back to me
Tired of being afraid of what I can't change
And I want to be living free
I don't want to be a prisoner
bound in these chains
a slave to my fears
Just want to be living free

And although we all return to dust
There's a lot of us in a terrible rush

Bring my courage back now
Bring it back to me
Tired of being afraid of what I can't change
And I want to be living free
I don't want to be a prisoner
Bound in these chains
slave to my fears
Just want to be living free

Well some take the road to Damascus
Some take the road to hell
I'll take highway one to the evergreens
And everything will turn out well

Bring my courage back now
Bring it back to me
Tired of being afraid of what I can't change
And I want to be living free
I don't want to be a prisoner
Bound in these chains
slave to my fears
Just want to be living free

Down in the Valley - 7

The cinematography of this film struck me as giving the feel of the film. The score of acoustic country/folk music helped as well. The story starts with a few high school friends heading to the beach. Tobe (Evan Rachel Wood), is a somewhat rebellious teenager who is living with her brother and father- her mother is never mentioned. On somewhat of a whim and a look, invites the gas attendant, dressed as cowboy along to the beach. Harlan (Edward Norton) and Tobe start a relationship, which her father disapproves of. The love story continues to escalate as the audience starts to find out more and more about who Harlan is. Harlan's obsession is for the old west, and a cowboy's way of life. He approaches all relationships as if they are like a storyline in a western film. But as he come up against the changes and reality of contemporary times, he find he is alone and alienated. The story he envisions in his mind starts to take over and distort the story that is going on in his relationship with others, most notably with Tobe, and her younger brother, Lonnie (Rory Culkin). As the tagline puts it: "Sometimes it's hard to find your way..."

Art School Confidential - 5

If nothing else, this film sparked quite the conversation between a friend and me. I mentioned how I thought the film worked as a kind of satire on art and the art school culture (I imagine most of the information from the film comes from Daniel Clowes'(Ghost World) experience). Since the film is an indie picture, and listed as comedy/drama, I got the feeling early on that the main character was not the hero, but rather the shlub.
The basic narrative is that Jerome (Max Minghella) wants to become like Picasso, a great painter. He finds his muse in Audrey (Sophia Myles), a model who poses nude for his class. Jerome continues to pursue Audrey throughout the film. The sub-plot is that a strangler is killing people in the neighborhood, and this provides material to show the culture of the school (weird roommates, cocky alumnus, and inspiration for art). The film's ending to me dripped of irony and satire. But the film could also be a dialectic about authenticity and facade in art, and how art must tell the truth for it to be truly good. If the main character is the hero, then he is seen as the authentic one among posers and people who are not genuine about themselves and their art. It is interesting that the film does not make any comments on art through the medium of film (by this I mean the cinematography is pretty standard to any other film, while Love is the Devil uses shots as part of the narrative). All the signs point me to see the film as having a subtle message that art will always be clouded with the unknown, it is not meant to have some rationalistic basis, thus the narrative works as a satire to show the absurdity of how rational we have turned art into (the smirk on John Malkovich's face near the end of the film also helps). If nothing else this film makes questions of the purpose and meaning of art come out in audience conversation.

Citizen Cope

Today I would point you in the direction of Clarence Greenwood, who goes by the moniker Citizen Cope. He has three albums out currently, I'm not sure of the order in which they were written, but The Clarence Greenwood Recordings, as well as his latest Every Waking Moment are best. I was surprised to see a pretty good review of it in Rollingstone. I say surprised because all of his music tends to sound the same, it is distinct, and has a sort of cross between folk and hip-hop influences, but between different songs there is not a great variety. That means that you either like him, or you think the whole project sucks. By the way, he will be at Mr. Small's Theatre on November 9th and 10th in Pittsburgh. Anyone interested in going?

This morning I was reminded of a post I did about Ryan Adams this summer, it is just as good today.