Evening Primrose: Anothony Perkins sings in this odd musical about a poet finding love & refuge in a department store after hours.
Crimes of Passion: Kathleen Turner is a high-powered garment district professional by day and kiny hooker by night.
El Camino: Martin Sheen walks the ancient 500-mile pilgrimage in northern Spain after his son dies during his pilgrimage hike.
Shotgun Freeway: The history of Los Angeles and the creatives who thrive there, including clips of interviews frm David Hockney, Joan Didion.
Up In The Air: George Clooney is a "termination enginer" who treasures his life in the air--constantly traveling. He meets kindred spirit, Vera Fermiga, another professional business traveler. Their relationship explores a role reversal situation.
Poetry: This Korean language film explores one woman's struggles to raise her grandson and discovers relief when she takes a poetry class and begins to write.
The Music Never Stopped: This fantastic story about a father and son who begin to understand one another through music (especially the Gratefu Dead)...based on an Oliver Sacks story called "The Last Hippie."
11/19/11
9/3/11
Painters Painting (1972)
Emile de Antonio made this documentary about his friends in New York City who happened to be the abstract expressionist painters who changed the history of art during the post-world war II years. The artists who reacted against the modern art world of Picasso's cubism were a small group who seemed to own the New York art world. Many were immigrants. Many came from poor families. Many earned a lot of money.
"You have to have time to feel sorry for yourself if you're going to be a good abstract expressionist painter," said Robert Rauschenberg.
Helen Frankenthaler explained "I did not want to create a small gesture standing at an easel with a sable brush." She wanted her paintings to appear as if they were created all at once with one stroke. The interviewer asked her if it was a problem being a female painter. She set him straight. "The first issue is a being a painter."
"My paintings are an invitation to look somewhere else," said Jasper Johns. He revealed that his motivation for becoming a artist was simply a way to get out of "this." He added that if he could tell that he was doing what another painter was doing, he would stop doing that.
Andy Warhol remarked "everybody is influenced by everybody." That remains a truism for the post-modern world.
Pop was a reaction against the action painters. A small group of artists began working in a more classical, controlled way. It was less romantic and not at all improvisational.
Frank Stella is interviewed extensively about this shift. He felt that the expressionists original impulse to make a big gesture became compromised when the wildness was worked over too much. His approach was less an invitation and more a presentation. The emphasis was not on "reading" a painting. Rather than make a record of an event, the goal was to present something that left the viewer unable to know how it was made.
The film includes interviews with many more of the era's artists, dealers, and collectors. They look at the reality that painting has always been for the rich. Other artform, such as writing an film, can be enjoyed by the masses. Traditionally painters are able to survive and continue working due to the support of wealthy patrons. The DVD also includes an interview with de Antonio.
The film shows the art world of forty years ago to be fresh in ways no longer possible.
"You have to have time to feel sorry for yourself if you're going to be a good abstract expressionist painter," said Robert Rauschenberg.
Helen Frankenthaler explained "I did not want to create a small gesture standing at an easel with a sable brush." She wanted her paintings to appear as if they were created all at once with one stroke. The interviewer asked her if it was a problem being a female painter. She set him straight. "The first issue is a being a painter."
"My paintings are an invitation to look somewhere else," said Jasper Johns. He revealed that his motivation for becoming a artist was simply a way to get out of "this." He added that if he could tell that he was doing what another painter was doing, he would stop doing that.
Andy Warhol remarked "everybody is influenced by everybody." That remains a truism for the post-modern world.
Pop was a reaction against the action painters. A small group of artists began working in a more classical, controlled way. It was less romantic and not at all improvisational.
Frank Stella is interviewed extensively about this shift. He felt that the expressionists original impulse to make a big gesture became compromised when the wildness was worked over too much. His approach was less an invitation and more a presentation. The emphasis was not on "reading" a painting. Rather than make a record of an event, the goal was to present something that left the viewer unable to know how it was made.
The film includes interviews with many more of the era's artists, dealers, and collectors. They look at the reality that painting has always been for the rich. Other artform, such as writing an film, can be enjoyed by the masses. Traditionally painters are able to survive and continue working due to the support of wealthy patrons. The DVD also includes an interview with de Antonio.
The film shows the art world of forty years ago to be fresh in ways no longer possible.
9/2/11
Quid Pro Quo (2008)
Carlos Brooks wrote and directed this offbeat film that takes semi-paralyzed radio reporter, Isaac (Nick Stahl). We learn that Isaac is wheelchair bound after a car accident as a boy, but he works at staying strong and maintains hope that one day he will walk again. He is disheartened after the woman he loves has turned down his marriage proposal because she believes one person in a marriage should be able to walk.
The radio station receives a tip from a hospital employee that a man had recently tried to bribe a doctor to amputate his leg. Isaac is sent out to investigate the odd subculture of people obsessed with the need to remove limbs in order to feel whole.
Isaac reluctantly meets with Fiona (Vera Farmiga), who has learned of his investigation and offers to share her knowledge the identity disorder. The attractive woman's fascination with him is both troubling and flattering. As Isaac becomes more deeply involved with Fiona, he begins to suspect that they share some important history. As truths are revealed, both are transformed--something is given for something received (quid pro quo).
The radio station receives a tip from a hospital employee that a man had recently tried to bribe a doctor to amputate his leg. Isaac is sent out to investigate the odd subculture of people obsessed with the need to remove limbs in order to feel whole.
Isaac reluctantly meets with Fiona (Vera Farmiga), who has learned of his investigation and offers to share her knowledge the identity disorder. The attractive woman's fascination with him is both troubling and flattering. As Isaac becomes more deeply involved with Fiona, he begins to suspect that they share some important history. As truths are revealed, both are transformed--something is given for something received (quid pro quo).
9/1/11
Never Forever (2007)
During a lull in my Netflix viewing schedule, I have delved into the films of Vera Farmiga, an intriguing actress who seems to be on the rise. I enjoyed her performance with George Clooney in Up in the Air a couple years ago.
Gina Kim's film shows us a successful American urban couple trying to conceive a child. Sophie (Vera Farmiga) and Andrew (David McInnis) are under pressure from his devout Korean catholic family. After her husband's disturbing suicide attempt, Sophie becomes more desperate to become pregnant. She seeks the help of a handsome Korean immigrant she sees turned away at her fertility clinic and offers him a "job" that will change both their lives.
Farmiga is wonderful to watch as this story unfolds slowly. I look forward to watching several of her more recent films.
Gina Kim's film shows us a successful American urban couple trying to conceive a child. Sophie (Vera Farmiga) and Andrew (David McInnis) are under pressure from his devout Korean catholic family. After her husband's disturbing suicide attempt, Sophie becomes more desperate to become pregnant. She seeks the help of a handsome Korean immigrant she sees turned away at her fertility clinic and offers him a "job" that will change both their lives.
Farmiga is wonderful to watch as this story unfolds slowly. I look forward to watching several of her more recent films.
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