12-9-12
The triumph of uniqueness and the glory of doing what you love with no apologies. 3 excellent examples of Swans: I.M. Pei a charming documentary elegant and thoughtful much like the architect himself. Journey with him through his spaces to expose time he has designed for. The eye must travel is about the jubilent demands of the iconic Dianna Vreeland the editor of Vogue and the taste creator of the mid 20th century. Also on the plate is Lady Gaga live from madison square garden anHBO special where I would have preferred a little more behind the scenes but it is one of the most intensive shows complete with the no holds barred performance that you feel right into your bones. Each of these artists have an inspiring story but they all come out with insights that push the viewer to be more and that is the best kind of ICON one that leads by example.
11-24-12
Golly well it has been a minute but I am back and inspired by my saturday cultural connection with a trio of insider fandamonium. Comic Books, Fashion and Glass Pipes are all billion dollar industries each treated totally differently, but each astoundingly important to the shape of American lifestyle. When I first saw previews for Comicon I just got geeky excited the joy of Kevin Smith aside when I lived in SF it was quite an experience of having the streets littered with eager costumed attendees wandering down the streets parading and exhaustivly looking for places to huddle to find a moment to celebrate the finds and sights of the day. The mix of ordinary and extraordinary has always been a favorite pastime and a brief glimpse into the world of super heros, but also in the evolution of the trade show the evolution of the fan and it becoming participatory. Unlike burning man where survial and a complete disconnect from society demands is this temporary world within worlds where dreams are followed and believed funny, awkward and light to the touch everyone has the chance to find something endearing in this morgan spearlock film.On Hulu.
On the other side of the country NY fashion week is so iconic it is hard to imagine that there was a birth to it. While the fashion industry is hard pressed to find nostalgia it climbs into the 80s and examines the origins of loft shows and the eventual monitization of Fashion Week at Bryant Park and the eventual move and evolution to Lincoln Center where it holds a place now among the Finer Arts. It is a glamorous who's who party of designers and stylists and editors and celebrities and loads of models; as anyone would expect but it is also revealing to the many layers of creating the Fashion Industry and how NY emerged as a beacon for Fashion in the last 20 years. For the rest of you it is a treat to have a feeling of front row, you will never sit next to Anna but at least you can get backstage.
This is the surprise gem of the week, On the Left Coast is an art movement completely ignored in art circles due to it's classification of form and function. Glass pipes are a huge industry that has evolved into a sculptural expression the deeper question here is how can a thriving artistic industry become criminal by intent? Not only was I amazed at the form and process and community of glass pipes I was reminded at the insanity and cherry picking of our government to criminalize paraphanlia which is not a standard held to any other illegal or destructive industry. While I am not a smoker I firmly stand against the criminalization of recreational pursuits. But it is astounding the story of a small business can simply be seized the owners can be arrested and threaten with 15 years have their company shut down and profits confiscated. I believe there is a shift coming in America where the WAR on Drugs is becoming more and more absurd and recognized as a resounding failure. Happy to be in CO, when a state has decided that it's time to treat Adults like adults and make for safer products, bigger revenues and a realization of living in responsibility rather than shame.That being said I would like to note that it is a shame that once again there is another industry dominated by men, there was only one featured woman glass blower named Laceface and bravo to her for finding a voice in a sausagefest.
Also there are some wicked cool ideas that makes me want to smoke. Art is the real gateway drug to happiness and self expression.
5-12-12/ I really do watch a lot of documentaries, I just forget to post them, but as sure as the Sun I am getting better enjoying delivering feedback for them. My 2 this week are When Stand Up Stood Out which is a trip to Boston in the 70s- 80s to check out a little comedy capsule of time. Right now I am in the throws of a Johnny Carson rewind and so it is interesting to weave a story of the thriving Comedy craze had a sister in the shadow of NY, entertaining and informative if not slightly gloomy as is any reliving of heyday and now fat bald broke guys talking about how if you were there you didn't remember being there. And the far more well not really but more enthused rip a remix manifesto which looks at the art of the remix through the eyes of GirlTalk the mash up King and what is the cultural benefit to creative commons, most importantly opened my eyes to the fact that disney was the original mix master so WTF Disney that's being a punk. ANyway the frantic pace and fancy splice gives one the urge to get all crazadilla with youtubine stramz an verbage aparantly. But it is informative enough to keep you entertained about the uncomfortable subject of thought protection.Also it is FREE......
4-20-12
The 2 for 1 special this week, is for 4-20 the cannabis holiday and so I am reminded of a very funny and really interesting documentary called Just Like Us. Ahmed Ahmed takes on the middle east with a comedy troop that even has a female comedienne, and hilarity ensues, not just because the actual stand up is very funny but the insight into a culture changing the dynamics and learning to be comfortable laughing at itself is so honest and delicate and sweet that it has nothing but enjoyment to offer as a whole. It is so important to see the breakdown in the wall of society through laughter and it is well captured and paced in this timely documentary when today it is more important that in the shadow of columbine and in the misconceptions and secret handshake of 4-20 as an official holiday that we reach out our hand and share a laugh.
Also in honor of Earth Day I watched Queen of the Sun what the bees are telling us. People of Earth we are killing our most loyal and cheapest army of labour. The bees are dying and for some reason that is not enough to tell Monsanto and Monoculture Farmers to stop look and listen that if the bees are dying than we will be not far behind. For clearly too long we have forgotten how much we rely on nature's free services and resources and enslave them and assume that they will be there for us no matter how poorly we treat them. Which is why I believe in the phrase LoverEarth because a Mother will love us unconditionally and a Lover will leave our ass if we keep beating her, Well I'm sure you get it and you are the choir but it helps to be informed and this gentle and loving tale of a tragedy of humanity and the bees also explains the life of the bee and exposes the love and relationship that they have with the flower and with the bee keepers. A generous and luscious documentary that renewed my commitment to fight for the rights of the bees and ultimately for ourselves. What is so wrong with the hive it produces the most productive decadent nectar of the gods. You want to see a socialist society look to the bees.
4-14-12
Ted Talks Smart and Funny
What! There is a compilation of comedy TED talks on Netflix? ! You are Welcome. As you might have guessed that TED is an addiction I am proud to indulge, and now there is a great best of funny series on demand that has me sneaking in between Daily Show and FB that I am thrilled with. Stand Up is so important and for my birthday this year my family and old people posse her friends - took me to MadCAP theatre which is essentially Whose Line is it Anyway in Westminster sandwiched with the AMC, the Bowling Alley called Fun City, and a Dave N Busters. Against my own instincts for snarky suburb boastings, I had lots of fun and laughed a lot, especially due to the frozen burger I got and the clearly bizarre responses yelled out by the audience though I was right to recoil with pity, the nature of fun and laughter was not lost on these overweight shiny eyes, and the importance of exposing the delicacy of the human condition is not lost in a room as imposing as TED. The point : COMEDY is important whether saving yourself or the world it keeps the wheels turning.
3-27- 12
Being Elmo is a relief. A glorious rousing and spirited look at the importance of creativity and the wonder of child like inspiration and creating super environments. So often we are guzzling the turmoil of the everyday injustice of politics and social unrest, that we have forgotten the pure pleasure that comes from being committed to living in your passion and that was the world of Jim Henson and his amazing creations and ultimately for the protege Kevin the creator of the beloved Cultural Icon of Elmo discover why you might need a tickle me Elmo doll in your collection of feel goods.
2-28-12
Wow it has been a while but I'm back and I've got fresh viewing pleasure this week I checked out I need that Record which is not only a love letter to the indie record store but an investigation into how the music industry works from an indie perspective including awesome interviews with the biggest vinyl addicts which just might be from your favorite band so settle in for a bittersweet treat.
3-12-11
It seems slightly weird that I forgot to post especially considering the titles but last weeks were Frontline's The Warning which gave a really good bite on Wall Streets meltdown and The Living Sea narrated by a charming Merryl Streep.
2-27-11
Oh ok so we get back in touch with a little conspiracy this week I checked out Bloodline which is an upcloser look into the Jesus and Mary relationship. Which honestly I think needs to be profoundly re examined because if you see Jesus as a real man who was a leader and teacher, it begins to give hope and clarity to developing a much more personal connection with God; not to mention your wife. I guess that's why the Vatican seems so invested in not revealing the truth. so Yes I like Jesus a lot more if he was a guy who had some great revelations but also had love for a wife had children and died just like everyone else.
Fat. This is the underlying problem in American society. The deep black gloom that will run us down, through disease and despair.
2-19-11
Finally released to instant is Freakanomics which I watched in conjunction with Wall Street and I found it jam packed with short little stories that really explore some larger questions. I was actually interested in statistics and found myself craving a masters in economics. Where this film goes right and why it became a best seller is it puts a story behind the statistics.... which is what I've been thinking they should do with math all along. IF YOU GIVE A BIG PICTURE AND THEN UNRAVEL IT YOU HAVE A HIT. Otherwise you are floating out there trying to grasp at 1s and zeros. It boils down to this- there is the truth in everything the math just points the way. Side note watching Wall Street Money never sleeps after was a but like a bong hit then a shot of oxy cotton, which results take you to a place of deep revelation as to how severely damaged this country is. It is def time to take the blinders off.
2-11-11
This week I watched Zeitgeist moving forward and was relieved and blown away. What can I say I don't buy this intrinsic evil tale. I think that this is a system that works for few and it does not have to be that way. I just hope that it does not take utter doom and destruction for us to finally redesign things properly with a strategy in place for responsible system and resource management. I loved wall-e and hope that with Avatar and similar popular films we can express the ideas of a kinder gentler world that does not operate on perceived value and instead employs the beauty and natural mechanics of earth to create of home of extraordinary beauty.
Wow without question this makes my documentary of the week and in fact feels more like the documentary of my life. This is the essence of what cultural rehab is here to explore because this offers a calm system of respect and understanding of our inherent needs and decides to provide for them and allow us to nurture greater pursuits. So how do we get there since we a least have a blueprint but where is the bridge to get the early adopters there safely and to help others to transition there as well. Consider this my duty and calling. So here we go whatever the road I have found a truth.
I also thought I would post the other 2 since I'm here.
The original Break the matrix:
Also a a side dish I gobbled up Babies an amazing peek at the 1st year of life for 4 babies as they learn to interact with their environment. It is a breath of fresh air to have a film with no plot but plenty of substance. And babies are cute. On a side note I would love them to do that again with various other places in the world or even in our own country. I was a wee dissapointed in SF baby, it seemed that of all the amazing events and life style that could be explored in this town the couple seemed a little lack luster, but since I have no child and could not dare to figure out what being a parent is really like and how tired and confused and what have you ..... I'm just gonna leave it at that.
THE BEAUTIFUL TRUTH
Cancer is Cured..... An amazing peek into the simple and disturbing facts of why and how cancer remains such a dominant disease after billions of dollars of research over a century of such medical breakthru.
Food Matters
You are what you the inspiring film that is a little less pain inducing than Food Inc. King Corn and Supersize Me all great but this gives more of a way out than an expose.
The Future of Food
A really up close look at the GMO world with a bitter and heartbreaking window into the farmer plight between Monsanto and well Life.
The Botany of Desire
This is an oldie but a goody that just popped into my head and is really good storytelling.
