Recently in art & literature Category

A friend of mine just received one.

"The Priority Boxes" A global art series.

What would you do if you suddenly received a box via mail, labeled "FRAGILE: Contains Peace"? How would you use it? Would you give it to someone else? Would you sell it?  Would you just throw it away?

Such a box is exactly what painter Franck de Las Mercedes has been sending since May of 2006 to anyone who asks him, anywhere in the world, for free.

"The Priority Boxes" project is a public art series that seeks to provoke thought, to make people reconsider their ability to influence change, communicate through art and make art accessible to people from all walks of life.

Sign up for one of your own here.

I signed up for one, and will post when I receive mine in the next month or two.

It's the summer of 1994 and Luke has just graduated from high school.  He deals weed to make money.  He likes his shrink's step-daughter.  He pays his shrink with weed.  A twist on the classic coming of age movie.

I saw The Wackness at the Arclight last night.  It definitely brought back some memories, as I am around the same age (graduated in 95, originally class of 94).

The soundtrack is great...definitely a reminder of the times...rap that's pre- Biggie vs. Tupac. 

In the movie Olivia (the step-daughter), tells Luke that he needs to wake up.  Stop looking at only "the wackness" of life (the negative) and just focus on "the dopeness" (the positive), like she does. 

I think its a good point...but we need to make sure not to be extremely in either direction.  Yeah, its not healthy to focus just on the wackness...but likewise its not healthy to focus just on the dopeness.  Both exist...and both need to be dealt with.

I watched My Blueberry Nights last night finally.  It is Wong Kar-Wai's first English language movie. The movie opened the 2007 Cannes Film Festival, but did not see a US release until April 4, 2008.  Because this is LA, and we actually get the Limited Release movies right away, I didn't make it to see it in the theaters before it was gone.  So I had to wait until this past Tuesdays DVD release.

In the tradition of many of his other films, this is a story of love.  Wong Kar-Wai describes it as "a story of a woman who takes the long route instead of the short one to meet up with the man she loves." (from wikipedia)

The movie is still shot in the way of his earlier films, despite the break from his long-time cinematographer Christopher Doyle.  Full of sensuous colors and saturated hues.

The movie got very mixed reviews during its theatrical release...but I enjoyed it.  The story was a little disjointed at times (moreso than usual), but that may be more of a symptom of writing in a second language (even though he co-wrote with a native english speaker).  Norah Jones did a decent job acting, for her first time.  The story behind her casting is that Wong Kar-Wai had her specifically in mind for the role and had to convince her to do the role.

Here is the UK trailer (embedding was disabled for the US version):

The owner of the coffee shop I frequent (Cafe Corsa on Figueroa & 23rd), gets to test ride this on Sunday:


Yes, that is the new 2008 Ducati 848 Superbike, which is technically not for sale yet (he's riding a demo unit).  Probably a little bit too much bike for my virgin motorcycle dreams...but still so pretty.

Granted, I don't watch a whole lot of non-Sports related television anymore, but the writers strike is going to really damage television as we know it.  Without the ability to produce new episodes of the standard dramas and sitcoms, the networks are resorting to filling the schedule with new reality tv shows.  The sad thing is, even these they are managing to do poorly.

Sunday night on NBC saw the return of American Gladiators.  Originally run as a syndicated show from 1989-96, it has been "revived" for prime time viewing.  The basic premise is that two contenders compete against each other in a series of challenges that test physical strength and stamina.  Complicating this competition, is each event has "Gladiators" that they must face.  These gladiators are basically pro or amateur bodybuilders (or in the case of the men ex-football players).

Out of morbid curiosity, I watched Sunday's special two-hour premier.  Having watched some of the original run, I was curious to see how it would be updated for the 21st Century.  In probably a good move by the producers, not much had changed.  There was perhaps more safety equipment, but the basic format and challenges hadn't changed much.  What was sad, is that the production seemed to me to be worse in this new version.  At least in the first episode of the night, the editing seemed to be pretty shoddy and rushed.  Plus one contestant and one gladiator were injured.  Not a good way to start off a new show.  The second episode of the night did seem to improve a little in the editing department, however it still seems a bit rushed.  The transitions between show and commercials could also be improved.

I will not be watching tonights episode (in its normally scheduled time).  If the writers strike carries on much longer, I feel that it will definitely be a major blow to the networks.  Will even the people that like reality tv finally get sick of it all?  I know I am, and I barely watch tv as it is.  What will I watch tonight (Besides the BCS Championship Game)?  The Daily Show and Colbert Report's return to the air without writers.

An initial reaction in verse:

we lose the magic
behind life and God
Each of us forgetting
what it means to believe
so we hold on to our self
so tightly we are scared
when someone gives themself
for us.

we lose ourselves in book
and film.  sheding tears for
lives we are too afraid to live.
we crumble into ruins hidden
by a concrete jungle
taking what we can
not what we need

Overheard at a forum at Powell's with Philip Gourevitch, Editor of the Paris Review:

"Every thing you've ever read is a gross reduction of reality" 

     -Philip Gourevitch