Living in 'The Spectacular Now'

For an indie with a limited budget, The Spectacular Now received wider than expected exposure due to solid writing and some fine acting, especially from relative newcomer Shailene Woodley.  A glowing reception at Sundance surely helped.  Overall, it's an entertaining film with a hazy patina of teenage angst rife with nebulous ambitions. The protagonists' respective futures are further blurred by questionable coping strategies and a requisite lack of role models. Honestly, there are no definitive happy endings here but neither is it a complete downer.

Although coming-of-age stories are overplayed today (and this one has a bit too much nonchalant underage drinking), the plot here takes a novel route through familiar themes: finding identity in a confusing world, relating to one another when we can, and admitting that our parents' lives are not necessarily ours to repeat.  

I related to the Southeastern setting, Athens, GA to be exact, a midsize town like any other, somewhat depressed with kudzu-covered outskirts. Behind my pup Tallulah is the character Aimee's house from the film, just around the corner from our spot in leafy Normaltown.  For me, even better than the humble low-slung rental itself is the real life neighbors' nifty micro-clearinghouse for miscellanea.

I've picked up many a cool little item from The Awesome Table (and re-gifted as directed): flowerpots, posters, antiques bottles, all manner of useful detritus--useful to someone, at least.  The Spectacular Now has its utility, too, while taking itself just seriously enough for the viewer to follow suit.

Watch the trailer.
More on the director, James Ponsoldt, an Athens, GA native.

Levon Helm

This post started last year as a remembrance of the late Levon Helm (1940-2012).  After this long, though, I'll let the music talk. With fall settling on the South, this tune venerates the farmer and connects us to his/her plight, still.

A sense of Helms' legacy here

Last year's obit. here

¿ Sí ? NO

Mad Men revealed the sexy side of advertising amidst the swinging cultural/consumerist evolution of the early-to-mid-60's. With more historical focus, NO illuminates the significant social impact of a marketing campaign when political momentum needs shifting.

Set in Santiago and the California-like coast of Chile, NO portrays the life of creatives--led by Gael Garcia Bernal as real life ad-man René Saavedra--with a steady throughline to the BS that is PR and buzzbuilding. Angles converge at the forefront of a change movement to bring back true democracy in a country paralyzed by the oppression and fear-mongering of General Augusto Pinochet's authoritarian regime. In moviemaking terms, the era is the star; director Pablo Larraín deploys every tacky 80's t-shirt and tennis shoe, every pastel storefront, every classic Toyota and VW to achieve a convincing feel.

Chilenos celebrating referendum results in 1988 

Photo: ripley.za.net

The Southern Cone is, today, one massive legacy of liberty and perseverance triumphing over a minority of powerdrunk agents of corruption and violence; many South American societies have the vibrant economies and growing middle classes to prove it, yet a healthy skepticism for elected officials prevails. No doubt Chileans will be offended by my oversimplification of the remarkable phase of socio-political change represented in NO (At least I studied Latin American life under military dictatorships in college). You should probably just find an outlet to watch this one, with all its lo-fi videotaped scenes seamlessly spliced into archived amateur footage, fine casting, and straightforward screenwriting; the result is solidly entertaining and informative.

Still not convinced? ~ NY Times "One Prism on the Undoing of Pinochet"

Closer to home, public policy guru Robert Reich is hoping Americans will join him in a campaign to address the scourge that is economic inequality in the US.  Who will be his Rene Saavedra?
Reich's film to spearhead the movement ~ Inequality for All

Twilight Americana Fest 2013

A couple songs recorded at...

Twilight Americana Festival

More Amazigh Kateb

Like that?  Here's more.

Taxco Downhill 2012

There are some gasp-worthy moments here.

The Odd Trio: Birth of the Minotaur Review

The Odd Trio stirs up familiar but still exhilarating stew with their self-produced second release, The Birth of The Minotaur (2012). With a penchant for playfully thoughtful, woven expressions on saxophone, guitar, and drums, the Odd Trio concoct a decidedly well-penned, avantjazz menu. What started out as a joyful exploration on their debut Lo-Fi Hi-Jump (reviewed here) has had its flavors deepened into a cerebral yet tuneful dish in this most recent effort.

To open, the trio head far south of their native Athens, GA to the brackish Gulfside font of American music with "Raucous Bacchus". Atop a rump-swinging rhythm from percussionist Todd Mueller, reed king Marc Gilley and loop-laying guitarist Brian Smith trade syncopated riffs beside funky blues-tinged bayous. The lead-off shuffle and Nocentelli-like guitar licks issue the calls of Mardi Gras indian chiefs with a tipsy feel; including throaty baritone sax punctuation, the track is an intoxicating pleasure referencing the Greek god it aptly venerates.

While the tongue-in-cheek "Whiskey" is experimental good fun with a discorock vibe and shredded guitar (an impossible combo?), "Sunday Morning Improvisation" closely approximates some of the Odd Trio's more subdued live musings as a free-flowing, improvised route through nebulous, sandy territory.  At live shows, the resourceful Mueller, Gilley, & Smith let this kind of track pool and flow in numerous directions at once while the crowd finds a handhold for a novel journey.  On record, layered themes wash over the listener in the same manner that the best orchestral music builds in waves of melodic interplay.

"Ricio de Mare" stands out as the set's most complete cut.  A solid rocking introduction leads into shifting time signatures--a go-to Odd Trio technique that keeps the listener teetering edgewise.  The effect is equally theatrical and bombastic, like the questionable safety of a wooden roller coaster: risky but thrilling nonetheless. Gilley's soprano soars, casting shadows around the cymbal-flecked landscape, while Smith and his guitar build drama with searing crunch.  Just before a clever circling back to the start, themes in unison lend some stability to what is, at times, a fairly gnarly ride; it's packed to the gunwales with inventiveness from this classically trained cohort.

The Odd Trio seems to draw from volumes of discipline, creativity, and overall gusto with Birth of the Minotaur.  Expect future explorations to continue confounding and invigorating with their by now well-established taste for challenging, original material at the forefront of instrumental jazz.

The Birth of the Minotaur - the full release via BandCamp
or B o.t. M - via CDBaby

"Pasiphae's Wild Ride" - Enjoy a side of visuals, at no extra charge

The Odd Trio @ Facebook
or T.O.T. @ SoundCloud

Academy Awards Contest ~ Take 4

Alright folks, here we go again.  Oscar is back and he (it?) is looking for a cozy mantle.  This time around, there're 14 picks on the ballot, at least for the sake of this here lil' contest. Having added in various television awards just seems like stepping on Emmy's toes, so I'm not going there, y'hear?  Just the motion pictures, the talkies, the silver screen.

You remember the routine.  Copy the entire ballot into your comment; then leave only the category and your picks from the following nominees:

Best Picture, Drama:

“Argo”
“Django Unchained”
“Life of Pi”
“Lincoln”
“Zero Dark Thirty”

Best Picture, Musical or Comedy:

“The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel”
“Les Misérables”
“Moonrise Kindgom”
“Salmon Fishing in the Yemen”
“Silver Linings Playbook”

Best Director:

Ben Affleck, “Argo”
Kathryn Bigelow, “Zero Dark Thirty”
Ang Lee, “Life of Pi”
Steven Spielberg, “Lincoln”
Quentin Tarantino, “Django Unchained”

Best Actress, Drama:

Jessica Chastain, “Zero Dark Thirty”
Marion Cotillard, “Rust and Bone”
Helen Mirren, “Hitchcock”
Naomi Watts, “The Impossible”
Rachel Weisz, “The Deep Blue Sea”

Best Actor, Drama:

Daniel Day-Lewis, “Lincoln”
Richard Gere, “Arbitrage”
John Hawkes, “The Sessions”
Joaquin Phoenix, “The Master”
Denzel Washington, “Flight”

Best Actor, Musical or Comedy:

Jack Black, “Bernie”
Bradley Cooper, “Silver Linings Playbook”
Hugh Jackman, “Les Misérables ”
Ewan MCGregor, “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen”
Bill Murray, “Hyde Park on Hudson”

Best Actress, Musical or Comedy:

Emily Blunt, “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen”
Judi Dench, “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel”
Jennifer Lawrence, “Silver Linings Playbook”
Maggie Smith, “Quartet”
Meryl Streep, “Hope Springs”

Best Supporting Actress:

Amy Adams, “The Master”
Sally Field, “Lincoln”
Anne Hathaway, “Les Misérables”
Helen Hunt, “The Sessions”
Nicole Kidman, “The Paperboy”

Best Supporting Actor:

Alan Arkin, “Argo”
Leonardo DiCaprio, “Django Unchained”
Philip Seymour Hoffman, “The Master”
Tommy Lee Jones, “Lincoln”
Christoph Waltz, “Django Unchained”

Best Screenplay:

Mark Boal, “Zero Dark Thirty”
Tony Kushner, “Lincoln”
David O. Russell, “Silver Linings Playbook”
Quentin Tarantino, “Django Unchained”
Chris Terrio, “Argo”

Best Original Score:

Dario Marianelli, “Anna Karenina”
Alexandre Desplat, “Argo”
Tom Tykwer, Johnny Klimet & Reinhold Heil, “Cloud Atlas”
Michael Danna, “Life of Pi”
John Williams, “Lincoln”

Best Original Song:

“For You” from “Act of Valor”
“Not Running Anymore” from “Stand Up Guys”
“Safe and Sound” from “The Hunger Games”
“Suddenly” from “Les Misérables”
“Skyfall” from “Skyfall”

Best Foreign Language Film:

“Amour”
“A Royal Affair”
“The Intouchables”
“Kon-Tiki”
“Rust and Bone”

Best Animated Feature:

“Rise of the Guardians”
“Brave”
“Frankenweenie”
“Hotel Transylvania”
“Wreck-It Ralph”

Ancient Autumn in Idaho: Plants Are Cool, Too!

Ancient mud pits, falling leaves, DNA, motocross, banjo, volcanoes & baked potatoes: What do all these have in common? 

Watch.
Guaranteed, you'll learn a few somethings.

PF Productions: the folks behind scenes of Plants Are Cool, Too!
PACT's Halloween Special: spooky, chloroplastic fun!
Chris Martine: the bluegrass-loving man behind the series
Dave Tank: the brotherman with the research in hand
Botanical Society of America: "Dollar, dollar bill, y'all"

Wes Anderson: the Eye & the Ear

To say that Wes Anderson is a bit of a control freak is a grand understatement.  Consider the model of the research vessel Belafonte in The Life Aquatic or almost any moment from the stop-motion masterpiece The Fantastic Mr. Fox.

image hosted by The Director Is In

The Eye: Take a look at this collection of clips put together by one "kogonada". The meticulous detail in every shot is Anderson's trademark.  In context, these frames add the feel of a living diorama to his films.  Plus, they look cool and carry that vibey 70's aesthetic -- although sometimes I gather that it's more fun to remember that decade than to have actually lived through it.

The Ear: NPR's Fresh Air from May 24 featured Anderson's long time music supervisor, Randall Poster.  He's the man behind many of the soundtrack choices, a wiley master of the logistico-legal hassles that go into gaining the copyright permissions from artists and publishers.  The songs become so integral to the tone of every film on which he and Anderson have collaborated.  For example, the use of Brazilian samba artist Seu Jorge to reinvent David Bowie tunes (in Portuguese) for The Life Aquatic added a subdued, drifting feel to the film's scenic interludes.

Here are some of my favorite Poster-facilitated musical moments:

Cat Stevens ~ "Here Comes My Baby" from Rushmore

Erik Satie ~ "Gymnopedie #1" from The Royal Tenenbaums

Lee Perry & Junior Marvin ~ "Police & Thieves" - The Royal Tenenbaums
Mick Jagger & Keith Richards ~ "I Am Waiting" - Rushmore
Cole Porter ~ "Night & Day" ~ The Fantastic Mr. Fox

The latest release from Anderson's Indian Paintbrush (coincidentally my brother's organism in grad school) production team is Moonrise Kingdom.  I've yet to see it beyond the trailer, but it can't be much of a departure from previous adolescent-themed fare.  Nonetheless, with Anderson and his steady stable of just-outside-A-list stars, you can always expect charming dialogue, impeccable set design, and an excellent soundtrack.

Out on the horizon is The Grand Budapest Hotel starring Johnny Depp; as a Franco-dweller, no doubt the director knows a thing or two about movie-making with a Euro backdrop.

Paintings by Alex Gross & Other Images

The artist featured below, Alex Gross, in his own unique way reminded me of a couple of other artists.  He garnered attention some time ago via BoingBoing -- the seal of hipster approval on the absurd, curious, and/or thought-provoking.  Subsequently, I went searching on alexgross.com and found many other works to relish.

The formal family portrait below and its rich decorative textures harken back to a favorite from Flemish master Jan Van Eyck.  While echoing the pose of the Van Eyck and the female's deep green attire, the male figure's right hand-positioning, which resembles the kartari mudra (the "Gesture of Discord"), seems to confirm the possible root his bride's side-ward glance.

Redemption

oil on canvas 65" x 44" © Alex Gross 2007

alexgross.com

The Betrothal of The Arnolfini (1434)
oil on oak panels 32.4" x 23.6" by Jan Van Eyck
desarte.com.br

Gross' use of natural iconography (roses, skull, butterflies) immediately evoked Frida Kahlo's self-portraiture, especially in the following painting with its stone-smooth skin tones and dreamlike background. 


The Mandolin

oil on canvas 50" x 30" © Alex Gross 2008

alexgross.com

Self Portrait as a Tehuana or Diego in My Thoughts, 1943

oil on masonite 30" x 24"

art-glossary.com

In several of his other paintings, some of the formality Gross uses in his composition seems to play a tight counterpoint to his more satirical subject matter. Still others with a more blatant comedic bent conjure up the iconic "loteria" squares of Mexico.

Alex Gross  - Explore the entire catalog

Star Wars Mexican Loteria Cards - just for fun, a series by Austin, TX artist Chepo Peña

Jiro, the Fish, & the Giant Rep

Whether you're a seafood fan or not, this is about the best example of mastery of an artform as I've ever seen -- on film, at least. Like the old grocery shopping edict, don't watch hungry or you may be tempted to book a flight to Tokyo and a reservation at Sukiyabashi Jiro.

The Master, Jiro Ono ~ more about the film from Magnolia Pictures

Charles Bradley's "How Long": Live in Athens, GA

Here's an early attempt at capturing the energy of a live performance. The performance part is definitely Charles Bradley's specialty--along with his amazing, soul-baring voice, of course!  Check out the "bearing the burden" maneuver--classic allusion!

*A wee disclaimer: my proximity to the excellent speaker system at the GA Theatre helped to "c l i p" the sound a little bit, which was a tad disappointing, but lesson learned for next show. Still, Bradley's showmanship and well-honed vocal talents, as well as the extremely tight backing from His Extraordinaires, trumped any technical difficulties.  Check out the inspiring story of his long rise to finally become a recognized R & B / soul star.

The bill that night was shared by The Budos Band, the instrumental group whose name stems from a preference for facial hair -- thus, 'barbudos' . Both acts are on Daptone Records, the stellar outfit from Brooklyn, NY, where else?  Their analog approach to record production has made them a highly respected label in recent years; that crisp but warm Motown / Stax Records sound consistently comes through like it's always existed in the catalog of essential tunes.  I've mentioned Daptone previously around here when Sharon Jones first shook my world , like she always will,  as 'The Hardest Working Woman in Show Business'!

Here Jones sings a tune by a familiar name; the backing rhythm by The Dap Kings is totally infectious, even after the hundredth time!

Breaking the Ice with Mr. Rogers

Oooooh, it's been frigid around here! I'm so long overdue for a much needed "heating element" to get me going again with posts: oddities, observations, new and classic sounds, and so on.

This little ditty has been reverberating around the webs and for good reason; Fred Rogers was a saint who helped raise every kid in my generation, and he deserves every click of "viral" interest this garners. I generally despise AutoTune but I loved this.

Now, I'm going home to change into my house shoes and don my zip-up sweater.

Explore more at FredRogersCenter.org