Beat Meat

Ass fall + Protect camera rather than body = Beat Butt Cheek. This picture is a perfect substitute for what my backside actually looks like after slipping and leveling out in the walk in at the Atwood cafe while shooting Derek Simcik (Executive Chef of Atwood Cafe) on the 21st. Fun shoot, great food, and only about 700 more pictures to go through before I'm done editing...

Also, "True Grit" and "The Fighter", both very worthwhile pictures... I finally walked out of a theater not wanting to scream. Not only once, but twice.. Dig.

Wiitala Brothers music video.. Lots of fun, lots of shooting.. Now, lots of editing, ah.

Diving Bellss, Z Channel, and Some Ford

Be it Schnabel's short but sweet musical and technical homage to "400 blows", his ability to capture pictures that are truly telling stories, pure and utter emotion that in one time or another we've all dealt with, or just the simple fact it's an extraordinary fucking piece of cinema, "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" marks to be one of the best I've seen in the first decade of the 2000's. This is only the second time I've seen "Diving Bell". The first time, I sat in the theater and didn't move. The second and most recent I was starting to fold some laundry I had brought up to my apartment. Let's just say I got one shirt folded and didn't start folding the rest until the end credits rolled. His perspective shooting is not something out of the ordinary or even that unique, but in the context that it's done, it's brutal, yet humane and tender. An American artist (whom among many hacks, actually holds this title well) chose to make a French film, and actually did it well. Bravo! My writing and dialogue may seem a bit schizophrenic, but I believe that's a good thing. I like to question life, cry, get angry, smile, and feel all kinds of crazy things after watching a picture. For me, it did something right. There is a point in the picture where two delivery men are dropping off a phone and they begin to tease Jean-Do. Of course the doctor in the room gets agitated, and Jean-Do simply laughs and says to himself that the doctor doesn't know how to kid around. While the picture is an accomplishment of a true artist, and at times it goes beyond seriousness, it teaches us how it's sometimes good to not take ourselves, that seriously, and simply enjoy the moments we have.


I also had a chance to watch "Z Channel: A Magnificient Obession", along with a second look at "The Searchers" which were both equally worthwhile. I just need some sleep...

Ferrets in the office, First Episode..

Enjoy the master WS. No pregnant ferrets or birds allowed in this office... Smooth day with Nicole and Laura.

A Blue

"Las Hurdes", "Tierra Sin Pan", ow.

Activism, Cartoons and Frankenstein.

Human Rights Watch Chicago hosted the wonderful event. Liu Xiaobo was honored, but for certain reasons, could not attend. Look him up, you may be inspired... Hossam Bahgat spoke, among many other wonderful individuals. Quite an event to be apart of.


All this followed by a day of meetings, one of which was with Nicole Hollander, Laura Zinger and Frankenstein to talk about a series we are all collaborating on. The series is created by Laura and I will be directing some of the early episodes. This, I'm also looking very forward to being a part of.

And, some lonely caged fur after the event.

Tofu and Sleeps.

Shooting a Doctor.

"What do they want"?

An exceptional and tender piece of cinema! A delightful escape...

Windows in Wisconsin

Picture, Wisconsin, Month ago.

Dancer, More Von Trier....

Naive, sentimental and compelling. "Dancer in the Dark" may be a picture you don't want to see again, but it's something you will never forget. Be it Von Trier's obsessive technical approach, musical homage or depth of emotion, "Dancer" is something not to miss. It's similar to those horror pictures where we say, "don't go in that door", but here we say, "please stop being so cruel or even so innocent." It's not framing, it's "pointing", as Von Trier has stated. And with pointing we see something beyond cinema and motion pictures. Even in a surreal, dream-like world, we are truly captivated and tortured. From "Zentropa", to "The Idiots", to "Dogville", to "Breaking the Waves", and even his most recent "Anti-Christ", we see something absolutely humane in Dancer. It's something many directors vow or wish they could create and never will. Worth every minute and even a second look.

Say anything Frontal

A nod to Truffaut. A pen for a heart. No mumbles here. Two good ones.

LongTime

Music Video shoot with E Man, Teaching HDSLR workshop, meeting some cool people, Zeiss is nice, babe in the sundown and i'm sleep. I haven't been taking enough photos lately and the wedding and Video edits continue..

Private Gus Van Sant

Fucking Dazzling... RIP cinema.


"My Own Private Idaho"

Gus Van Sant

Godard Restored..

"I want to become immortal and die.."


A new restoration, another visit.. Beautiful..

Crimson Lolita

I haven't been able to watch two films in one day in quite some time and today apparently was the day! I revisited Kubrick's, "Lolita" and was more intrigued than the first time I saw it. His dynamic way of mixing comedic and absolute absurd drama, is purely brilliant. The picture was truly ahead of it's time. The second film I watched was, Jafar Panahi's "Crimson Gold".. A film about two men who try to rob a jewelry store and deliver pizza. The social and emotional subtext that comes with this piece of work is not easy, but it's execution is precise and something that ranks up with the tone and fixating nature of Antonioni or even Bresson. As a fan of Kiarostami, I was excited to see something he wrote for somebody else to direct. The collaboration clearly works, and it's unfortunate the oppression and issues that have come with such a great artist. I'm looking forward to visiting more of Panahi's work.

Some wonderful visuals and thoughts..

"Leon" and "Paris, Texas"

Arizona Dreams

Harmonious, poetic, and free. The images are pleasing and the people are worthwhile. In an abstract world, we can definitely relate. Lewis, Depp, Gallo, Dunaway, and Taylor may not present the best performances of their lives or careers but they definitely present something very memorable and heart warming. Kusturica definitely is in a league, or shall we say medium of his own..

"Exit through the Gift Shop"

A Banksy Film



Just go see it! Even if you never really figure out who the hell is who, what is what, or what is art, you'll still have a hell of a time...


:)

I had mentioned to my girlfriend to wait to buy tickets to Steve James' screening of his new documentary "No Crossover: The Trial of Allen Iverson" in Evanston. We forgot to buy them the night before and then couldn't buy them online in the morning. In a rush we grabbed some breakfast and quickly drove to Evanston. Luckily they were not sold out, my girlfriend was not mad anymore, and we got the tickets.

The screening was at Seven PM and in a small theater with a small projection. The room was packed and the venue was well organized and brought together. I liked the way the seats were raised behind one another because it would be hard for a tall person or one with a big head to block your view if they sat in front of you :) Luckily this was not the case and the film rolled.

After the film was shown Steve James and two YWCA Facilitators, Susan O'Halloran and Gloria Woods lead a discussion and time for questions and answers. The documentary brought up some issues on race and led to some interesting discussion. The documentary seemed to have an unbiased view, which is fair, but I believe it worked at a disadvantage for the work. Steve James, after I asked him, said he felt he learned and was brought into this situation. Of course his answer was a bit more eloquent and insightful. Only problem, his film wasn't. The piece really lacked any depth or progression and seemed to stick to the surface. We are well informed by those somewhat or indirectly effected by the incident but never really make a connection with anyone directly involved. Rather than a documentary by someone who made "Hoop Dreams", we see a glossy piece of journalism, simply, and slightly informing us on an event, that may have not even been brought to the spotlight if not for the celebrity status of one of the defendants.

Boston Hotdogs

5am flight on Thursday. Sun rises over Midway, we zoom to the airport and get on a not so shaky flight, meaning I'm not so neurotic in the sky. We land, get to Boston airport, receive a Dodge Charger as a rental car and zoom downtown for lunch and some b-roll shooting of the city. We meet a Casey Affleck look alike or possibly an unknown twin who has taken over his family's hot dog business. He tells us he has a degree and has been to Australia and has had some unfortunate involvement with the law. He didn't go into detail on that, but I did forget to mention his accent was thick! He thinks I'm a lutheran from NYC, I tell him I was baptized Catholic and I'm from Pennsylvania but I live in Chicago. He says " I hear they have ballin dogs.." We have some wonderful conversation but unfortunately it is cut off and we must leave. Back to the Charger and we zoom through the narrow city and back onto the highway to Cape Cod. We arrive at a small resort type building, light and sound. Cory arrives, book in one hand, hand shake from the other. Insight, intelligence and vibrance made the last interview for the American Library Association Documentary wonderful! It was a pleasure meeting and shooting Cory Doctorow. I know he is going to bring something wonderful to the project. Back to the Charger. We zoom back to the city, get lost on some of the crazy streets in the city, get settled into the hotel, grab a burger and a beer, back to the hotel, sleep for three hours, back to the airport. Shaky flight into Chicago, sweaty palms, but all lands well. It's beautiful and good to be back. The producer and editor are currently finishing up the editing and it's looking wonderful and should be done shortly! Good to be back in Chicago but Boston, I will be back at some point to hopefully enjoy your city for a bit longer.

Okay, so it's been a while since I've written anything but hopefully I'm going to start updating this more often. I just finished watching "When Father was Away on Business" directed by Emir Kusturica in 1985. Kusturica won the golden Palm at Cannes for this piece of work. Thus far I've only seen "Underground" by Kusturica but both level the horizons of thought and insight on sore subject material. The work may require some research unless well versed in post WW II Bosnia and Cominform. In any case, Kusturica develops quite an ensemble of characters struggling or let's say dealing, during this time period. It's focus is the tension that was prevalent between Russia and Yugoslavia in the early 50's. I'm definitely excited to visit more of this Serbian director's work.

"Alice"

1988

Directed by Jan Svankmayer

Mean Girls

"Mean Girls"

D Mike Waters


2004