Celluloid

Lately, I feel like a beacon of film knowledge/news, etc. Between listening to two film podcasts (Filmspotting & IFC), averaging 5 films watched at home per week, checking Criterion and Electric Sheep websites on the occasion, and of course actually going to the theatre when I've got some cash, I realize that it may be necessary or perhaps even responsible to unload some of my movie-obsessed brain...

In Theatres

So I saw the new Indiana Jones film. It was inevitable. Having grown up watching the original trilogy, I already knew to tamper my expectations. That being said, I think the film is a mostly fun summer blockbuster extravanganza, but it had plenty of groan-inducing moments (I'm looking at you CG prairie dogs, swinging vines scene, wedding). I give it a C+ or 3/5...take your pick

(I did see the preview for The Dark Knight, and I have to admit that it looks pretty good..good enough for me to get interested in the last Batman movie to potentially catch up)

In Home (films I've watched in the last week)

Elevator to the Gallows (1958) Malle - I had already seen this movie once before, but had couldn't remember if I had, as I am apt to do. Once the film started, parts started coming back to me. A man kills his boss/lover's husband, teenagers go on a joyride, the police have a lot of murders to solve, all soundtracked by Miles Davis. 5/5

Ikiru (1952) Kurosawa - A story about a man who gets diagnosed with stomach cancer, essentially has six months to live, and realizes that he has lived an empty life. After a failed attempt to drink himself to death, he changes his strategy and instead decides to try and fit much joy and purpose into the time he has left. Sounds depressing and cliched, but actually works well. 4/5

Mona Lisa (1986) Jordan - Bob Hoskins stars in this film about a lower class dude who gets a job driving for a skinny, beautiful, classy black prostitute. She wants to rescue a friend that she knows from her past who shared the same pimp, but knows she cannot show her face for fear of retaliation from said pimp. Hoskins offers to find the friend and gets more involved with the underbelly of London than he would have liked. Cool scenes of 1980s London and Brighton. 4/5

Rififi (1955) Dassin - Essentially a heist movie, but the heist happens halfway through the movie (and it's a really impressive nearly silent 30 minutes). Things really get interesting after the burglary when a rival kidnaps one of the participant's young sons, and proceeds to mess with each of the people involved, except for the leader of the group (who is just too good to get captured). I love how the film starts to feel more chaotic as more shit in the plot gets more complicated (especially the car scene towards the end). 5/5

Scanners (1981) Cronenberg - Heads blow up! Epic mind battles! Humans vs. the machine (or science)! I think Cronenberg was best when he made out-of-control, not really believable campy, culty, B-movie craziness. I laughed a lot, and overall just really enjoyed seeing this movie for the first time. 4/5

Viridiana (1961) Bunuel - A young woman is about to enter a convent, when her aging uncle invites her to visit him one last time before she becomes cut off from the world. She goes reluctantly, and sure enough he begins plotting to mar her purity and innocence. Events occur and she decides to stay, but uses part of the land and the house as a commune-like setting to serve the homeless in the village. The homeless party in the mansion is pretty memorable. 4/5

the White Sheik (1952) Fellini - A newlywed couple goes to Rome for their honeymoon where they are supposed to meet up with the husband's relatives and meet the Pope. The new bride is quite young and obsessed with a character named the "White Sheik" whose headquarters happens to be down the street from their hotel. She goes to meet her idol and ends up travelling outside of Rome with the entire cast, on accident, and has no way of telling her new husband where she has disappeared to. An early Fellini that still captures some of the carnival feeling of his later films. 4/5

A Woman is a Woman (1961) Godard - I didn't actually watch this film last week, but close enough. I love Anna Karina in this silly, very poppy, very French film from Godard. Angela (Karina) really wants to have a baby, but her boyfriend doesn't want to so much. They fight a lot and he jokes that she should hook up with a mutual friend of theirs. Basically this film seems to be poking fun at the too-cute 1960s films about relationships, but is essentially one of those films. It's quirky and fun, and the striptease is pretty great. 5/5

In the News

Cannes just ended, and the two films that seem to be getting the most coverage are a 4 hour movie about Che Guevara by Soderbergh (while it's unlikely the final cut will be 4 hours, it would maybe do some good for the abundance of Che-T-shirt-wearing college students to sit through something like this just so they may actually know who the person on their shirt is..) and the directorial debut from the screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, Synecdoche, New York.

Jim Jarmusch is listed as having a movie in post production called The Limits of Control.

Werner Herzog is remaking Bad Lieutenant. I am concerned because Nicolas Cage appears to be replacing Harvey Keitel...until then, his latest documentary Encounters at the End of the World should be released on DVD sometime soon. It's about Antartica and will hopefully include Herzog narrating some outrageously melodramatic monologue over incredibly beautiful landscape shots.

When adaptations go right

No Country For Old Men and There Will Be Blood, were undoubtedly two of the best films to come out last year, and arguably in the last few years. Interestingly enough, both of these films are based at least in part on novels. This isn't an unusual occurence at all in the film industry, but what is unusual is how much better the films are than their literary counterparts.

Normally, adaption of a popular or appreciated novel seems like a good idea because obviously something about the story, or characters, or tone etc., was strong enough to attract readers in the first place. That attraction could translate to a connection with film audiences. The movie could just visually shows us a version of what we were picturing in our heads anyway. However, many readers who watch the film versions of their beloved books are invariably disappointed. Plot has to be cut down due to time restraints, we aren't usually exposed to characters' inner monologues or even get to know them as well, and even sometimes, producers/directors decide to change plotlines or endings to make the story more "accessible." I would have to agree that the majority of the time, the film will never be as good as the book...but maybe things are changing?

No Country For Old Men is based on a fairly mediocre book by Cormac McCarthy. (You can read my GoodReads review here) In this case, the film keeps the tone and themes from the book, and actually for the most part, stays fairly true to the story. However, the book just doesn't make for a very satisfying read, but does adapt nicely to the Coen Brothers' vision. The main departure happens by eliminating a character and a small side story involving a teenage girl that Moss picks up while she's hitchhiking, but very explicitly never evolves into anything sexual. The purpose of her existence in the novel is unclear, other than to place doubt in the mind of Moss' wife regarding his fidelity. Her almost complete absence in the film is welcome and I believe only make the film stronger and easier to follow.

While I wouldn't say the McCarthy novel was bad per se, I cannot refrain from assigning that description to Oil!, the Upton Sinclair novel that There Will Be Blood is loosely based on. (Once again, GoodReads review here) In this case, PT Anderson keeps very little from the original story. The characters that even make it on the screen have different names, temperaments, and agendas. Daniel Plainview is an infinitely more interesting and complex character than his inspiration, J. Arnold Ross. Ross is basically good at finding oil, loves his son, and pays off government and city officials when he needs to get something done. He is far from obsessed or borderline evil or even descending into his own downward spiral, and consequently one doesn't find much to react to in the book. Also, the book is told through the eyes of Ross' son J. Arnold Ross Jr., aka "Bunny." Bunny is already a teenager at the outset of the story, compared to the young boy "H.W." in the film. There is no tragedy to befall the young oil protege, other than his own conscience...yawn. Eli Sunday used to be Eli Watkins. He still leads a questionable church, but almost no interaction with the big oil man, and certainly no form of confrontation...Where the film succeeds in questioning both capitalism and religion, the book utterly fails. It doesn't really try to tackle much in the way of religious corruption, but goes completely overboard on attacking capitalism, transforming the novel into a 550 page debate between capitalism, socialism, and communism. At its core, I even agree with what Sinclair is getting at, but I couldn't have been more bored with his literary methods. On the other hand, I had no problem sitting through PT Anderson's 2 and 1/2 hour loose interpretation of a similar theme.

Maybe what these successful films of last season show us, is that in order to make a good film adaptation of a novel, perhaps the original material should be a little sub-par...giving the film the opportunity to rescue whatever may have been of value...

Binh Danh

Typically, I find "political art" or art addressing topical issues to comes across as fairly boring. Binh Danh, a Vietnamese-American artist definitely operates in the realm of political art, but I did enjoy his images when I first saw them at a photography exhibit in San Diego several months ago. Mainly, I find the aesthetic of his works pleasing and fairly unique. Danh uses a process called chlorophyll printing (essentially harnessing photosynthesis) that involves taking a green leaf and placing a negative over it between two sheets of glass and letting the leaf bake in the sun for weeks at a time. A successful printing is then coated in resin. The result is often an eerie image imprinted on the leaf and bares a similar likeness to early photography processes such as daguerrotypes. The images usually depict scenes from the Vietnam War, but also just portray simple Vietnamese people. Danh uses leaves to emphasize an interconnectedness with the natural world and to stress fragility and vulnerability of life.

Bloodbath (of joy)

I have been reading a book entitled, Why We Watch: the Attractions of Violent Entertainment. I picked this book up because it's one of the few comprehensive collections dealing with media violence that doesn't take the stance of automatically condemning it. For a long time, I have had difficulties accepting the argument that the existence of violent films or video games has led to increased violence in society, especially among the youth. I think plenty of people subject themselves to violent entertainment and never experience feelings of needing to commit violence personally. Speaking for myself, I find that I often enjoy extremely violent films, but I would never want to harm someone or something else in such a manner...and I don't think I'm a creep for finding enjoyment in such forms of entertainment.

I'm about halfway through the book right now, and so far have read chapters dealing with sports, how increased life spans has changed our perceptions of death historically, video games, children's literature, children's television programming, and increased violence in film starting with Bonnie and Clyde. Bonnie and Clyde was viewed in a very interesting context because its release in August of 1967, had directly preceded a tumultous time in American history. Race riots in Newark and Detroit, an increasingly militarized Black Panther Party, and Stokely Carmichael's remarks about "we're going to shoot the cops who are shooting our black brothers in the back in this country," all occurred in June or July of that year. The late 1960s also brought the notorious generation gap in ideologies; one that was easily identified in the reaction and response to Bonnie and Clyde.

Old-school critics at the Times and the New York Times, lambasted the film and deemed it "disgusting and irresponsible." Simultaneously, Pauline Kael, a freelance writer, wrote a manifesto that included, "the innocuousness of most of our movies is accepted with such complacence that when an American movie reaches people, when it makes them react, some of them think there must be something the matter with it - perhaps a law should be passed against it." Kael smartly correlates movies like this with ideas concerning justification for political violence as examined in such books as Fanon's The Wretched of the Earth. In many ways, the films of old Hollywood just weren't violent, though-provoking, or smart enough. Stories were tidy and safe, but therefore trite.

Bonnie and Clyde are fashionable, and despite their unlawful deeds, are characters that many young people of the time (and today) can easily sympathize with. The film inspired songs, clothing fashion, and an aesthetic in later films for over the top stylish violence. The film is often linked to the left for its anti-authority stance and for identification with youth. However, despite being able to relate to Bonnie and Clyde and finding them "cool," the vast majority of audience members would never personally feel the need to live out such a romantic but deadly existence.

Sam Peckinpah, whose film The Wild Bunch, shares the same genre as Bonnie and Clyde, provides one quote that I find particularly interesting. "Perhaps we have become so conditioned to violence that we delight in the audacity of a film that piles it on with such gusto." Basically, the audience of the late 1960s was already seeing images from Vietnam on their nightly news. Today's generation has been living through multiple wars in the middle east and the reminder of 9-11. I don't think any of us particularly want to witness actual murders or dead bodies, but when violence is handled in a way that is so outrageous or stylish that it ceases to really be believable, it's possible that this entertainment serves as a weird way to cope with real life and dually provide a strange form of escapism.

Holy Mickey

So, it was requested of me to write on the topic of modern spirituality, and possibly its intersection with hip hop.

Actually, we could just start with the hip hop. A friend of a friend recently bought a hip hop album (I'm not remembering the specific title at the moment) and was reading through the liner notes noticing that each member of the crew had "God" listed right at the beginning of their thank you's. She found that observation to be a bit surprising and possibly contradictory considering the topics and subject matter addressed on the album itself. While this particular group would not be considered "gangsta" by any means, they still had plenty of songs talking about ladies, or drinking 40s, or making references to smoking weed, etc. Basically, behaviors that we don't typically associate with being a Christian.

First and foremost, I think it's important for all of us to realize that we are socialized in our thoughts and reactions to religion. Probably for anyone reading this, we all share the commonality of being socialized in a western civilization. Western civilization has its roots in Judeo-Christian thinking and to this day, whether we consider ourselves to be Christian or Jewish, atheist, or even a believer of eastern religious traditions, it's all initially informed by our socialization. Those that accept the label of Christian or Jew are simply tapping into a tradition that they are already a part of; atheists are directly reacting against that tradition; and those that take on eastern religions are also reacting against western tradition, but are choosing to hold on to spirituality, unlike atheists.

To come back to hip hop, most African-Americans in this country also share the experience of being socialized into Judeo-Christian based society. Furthermore, many African-americans also directly participate in Christianity by attending church. I would also argue that "church" fulfills a different role in many black communities than it does in white (and surburban) ones. In the black community, I think church provides a safe haven as well as a place of socializing and community. It may be the center of many neighborhoods and helps to unite people. For a black person, such as those on the hip hop album, not admitting to being a Christian, is like denying a part of where you came from.

I also, personally, don't see an automatic contradiction in proclaiming a belief in God, and participating in drinking 40s and smoking blunts with your crew. While I don't believe the Bible is an infalliable document anyway, at least we can acknowledge that we are supposedly living in the era where the values of the New Testament are elevated above those of the Old. The Old Testament is full of all of the laws, and dietary restrictions, and many ways to contextualize ritual practices. The New Testament, on the other hand, is a reprieve from the Old Testament, freeing us from the strictestness and narrow provisions of the laws, and instead letting us live by the "spirit." What does that mean? Well, my interpretation is that we are free to "interpret" how those laws may be adapted for contemporary society. In my mind, "breaking bread and sharing wine" is essentially the same thing as hanging out and eating and maybe even cracking that malt liquor. Both situations serve to bring people together and maintain community. It's a time to enjoy each other.

Anyway, that's what I've got for now...I know I'll be accused of being a huge "relativist."

Woman in the Dunes

Last night I had the pleasure of watching the 1964 Japanese film, Woman in the Dunes. The basic premise is that a schoolteacher from Tokyo comes to the coastal sand dunes to collect strange bugs in hopes of finding a new species and getting his name in a field guide. He stays at the dunes too long in the day and misses his bus back towards town. Local villagers offer him a place to stay and he accepts. The home they offer for him to stay in is inhabited by a widow and is in the bottom of a large sand pit. He is lowered down by a rope ladder and when he attempts to leave the next day the ladder is gone and he is essentially imprisoned.

Throughout the film we see sand all over the place; it leaks through the roof, covers their bodies, erodes from the pit walls, and windstorms bring large cascades of it. Near the beginning of the film, we see the woman shoveling sand into buckets to be lifted out of the pit for an entire night. We learn that she has to shovel sand every night in order to protect her home as well as the homes of neighboring villagers (the logic being that if her home is buried, it will be easier for other homes to follow). The nameless schoolteacher is captured so that he can prevent the destruction of her home through help with shoveling.

The most telling scene of this seemingly existential allegorical movie is during one of these scenes where they are both shoveling sand. The schoolteacher is venting frustration at the futility of trying to get rid of the sand...how they would have to do this endlessly and it seems so meaningless. However, if the pit is symbolic of society/life etc. the woman's task is no more futile than the man's activities of collecting bugs. Her task is based on survival while his is based in academia, but both could be seen as ultimately meaningless. Any individual life is full of routine and detail to seemingly meaningless tasks...whatever we do for a living, chores, hobbies...all of them are series of routines. The video essay included as a special feature makes the interesting comparison of shoveling sand to the Myth of Sisyphus, but makes the distinction that Sisyphus must roll his boulder to appease the gods, while those in the sand pit have more primitive and basic survival reasons.

While the film may not contain a particularly hopeful theme, it does provide many beautiful visual images and some memorable love scenes. Overall the images, story, and even the soundtrack all add up to one striking adjective: haunting...in the best way possible.

A little story about Oakland

So I haven't written in a while, and for once I think I have a decent excuse: I'm moving. to Oakland. In tribute to what will become my new home, here are some facts and some history about the home of hyphy:

Oakland (and Long Beach) are the most ethnically diverse cities in the United States, speaking 150 different languages. Of approximately 415,000 people, 31% African American, 26% white, 25% Latino, 16.4% Asian American, 1% Pacific Islander, .6% Native American, 14% Other

It's the 8th largest city in California and the 44th largest city in the U.S.

Rand McNally claims that Oakland has the best weather in the country (coming from Southern California, I find that hard to believe...)

As far as Oakland's notorious reputation, it's somewhere between the 4th and the 8th most dangerous city in the country mainly due to homicides (hopefully my mom never reads this) of which there were 127 last year.

Home to the As, the Raiders, and the Golden State Warriors

As far as history goes, Oakland was granted to a dude named Peralta in the early 19th century from the Spanish Royal government and named "encinal" meaning "oak grove" which eventually turned into "Oakland." The Gold Rush of 1848 affected Oakland as well as a lot of California, bringing railroad lines, boats, and streetcars. When the 1906 earthquake hit San Francisco, Oakland's population doubled due to the amount of refugees escaping earthquake damage and fires. 1920s were a good time economically for Oakland, leading to the building of many houses and a lot of the downtown buildings still standing today. Oakland was home to many industries including shipbuilding, canneries, bakeries, metals, and automobiles. These industries, especially during WW2, attracted many African American laborers.

After WW2 the automobile and shipbuilding industries significantly dissolved and eliminated many jobs. However, many who had originally come for work had decided to settle in Oakland. Simultaneously, more affluent sectors of the population moved into easterly suburbs as an example of "white flight." After the war, Oakland had become increasingly poor.

The most significant aspect of Oakland's history during the 1960s and 70s was the creation of the Black Panthers by two students of Merritt College, Huey Newton and Bobby Seale. The Black Panthers were originally formed as a response to rampant police brutality at a time when only 16 of 661 police officers were black in a largely poor black community. Funk and the Hell's Angels were both visible forces and the 1970s were apparently a good time for all three professional sports teams.

Oakland was at the center of the ebonics controversy, when in 1997, Oakland's school board decided to formally recognize ebonics or AAVE (African American Vernacular English) as an official language.

Anyway, in less than two weeks, this is where I'll be..