philly

Bitchin Korean Director

So I'm home in NY for my mom's birthday [it was yesterday and we feasted!] and that means I get to read the physical, paper version of the NY Times Magazine! Oh how I love this thing. It is probably my single favorite thing to read. Sure I can read it online, but there's something about it. I love to just sit down and read the longer articles while not sitting in front of a screen.

This week, there's a cover story on El Salvador. Why El Salvador? Because they are a nation that criminalizes abortion. I haven't read it yet, but that's next and should prove to be very interesting as that is where this country of ours is heading, and quickly.

The first article I read was this one on Park Chanwook, a newish Korean director known for his über violent revenge themed films. It played in the 2005 Philadelphia Film Festival, but it was sold out the three times I went to see it. It came out on DVD last month and I bought it and watched it on the edge of my seat. I don't think I wrote about my thoughts on that film, I should do that later...

The article took me deeper into Park's mind and the experiences that formed his filmmaking tendencies of today. He spoke of his own guilt in sitting idly by during his childhood as he saw his peers protesting in the streets of Korea during an oppressive state. The article discussed several of his other films which I now very much want to find, buy and watch. This genre of 'Asian Extreme' is a large genre which clumps together probably more than it should, but Park's films belong squarely within it methinks.

It's always interesting to read articles focussing on directors, creative people in general. In particular, articles on people whose work I've taken in and enjoyed. Whether it be film, photo, audio or whatnot. I very much enjoyed doing several interviews over on Philly Future with some local photographers. I gotta work on a new one, but maybe next month after I get some breathing room after the May 16th Democratic primary.

D'oh A Simpson's Movie

There's going to be a Simpsons movie due out in 2007. Apparently, a twenty-five second trailer is being shown before Ice Age 2.

TV to film movies. Not so hot about that. The legacy of The Simpsons could be flushed down the toilet in ninety minutes. Risky. Oooooor, it could be awesome.

V for Vendetta

I saw V for Vendetta yesterday afternoon. It was way better than I thought it was going to be. I read the graphic novel a year ago and was thrilled to hear that it was being made into a feature-length film. I was initially put off by the casting of Natalie Portman as Evey. Up to this point, I thought she had peaked with her performance as a thirteen-year-old in The Professional, but she was annoyingly good in this film. Annoyingly in that I wanted her to be bad so that I had an excuse to not like the film and have her be the cause of it and accept it as such, but she was great. The film was great.

It's a bit weird to see a mask talk at you for an entire film, but I got used to it after the first scene where V appears and Hugo Weaving delivers some serious alliteration

I actually welled up a bit at the ending. I'm not going to say what it was, but I wasn't welling up because it was so sad on screen, but the implication that it would take such a large cataclysmic event to have the people wake up. When will the rest of America wake up. Will Congress ever wake up?

A couple of choice paraphrased quotes from the film that will in no way give away anything: "The people should not fear their government; the government should fear its people" and, oh wait, the second quote does actually potentially give away some info, so, just that one.

Out of Focus

That's a shot I took of a hydrant valve at 40th St station. It has a very shallow depth of field meaning that only an inch or so [depth wise] of the photo is in focus - the handle of the valve. The mouth of the hydrant pipe a couple inches behind and below the valve is out of focus. The bench further down the tunnel is out of focus. The lights are out of focus and reduced to glowing orbs of light. The effect is referred to as bokeh. Another example of out of focus lighs here.

The film I saw over the weekend Crash used it extensively to hammer in the idea that all of these characters were shallow and didn't see much passed their current situation unless physically forced to do so. The glowing orbs of light caught my eye throughout the film. I geekily enjoyed it on top of the content of the film itself.

Matt Dillon was genuinely hatable in his character. Terrence Howard is one of my favorite cool-guy actors, my favorite role of his was in The Best Man. Sandra Bullock's character was weird as was Brendan Fraiser's. Thandie Newton's screentime was not long enough for me to get over the eye candy aspect. Ryan Phillipe was tolerable. Not as wooden as normal, but still pretty stiff. The best performance I've seen out of him in the few films I've seen where he's had a role. Don Cheadle 'serious face' is just top notch. He's got a way to capture emotions with his expressions. Huuuge ensemble cast. They don't ever seem to be competing for face time during their scenes. Looked like they were genuinely in it together. Dillon's character had the most memorable role though so he got the nod for the Oscar nomination.

The film is open ended. No resolution. But after seeing the film, me, Lady and our friends felt that it was meant to be more of a discussion piece. For the characters to say some things that people wouldn't say out loud, but would think of them. Discussion is good. And I'm glad this got the Best Picture award.

Click here or on the photo above for a better, unshrinked version of the photo.

The Watchmen

I read Alan Moore's V for Vendetta a little whiles back and with the film coming out on Friday, I wanted to go grab a copy of another one of his classics, The Watchmen.

I used up almost the rest of my Barnes & Noble gift card I got for Christmas. It's a bit thicker than V for Vendetta. I start before bed in a little bit.

Alan Moore's Grudges

Just read this NY Times story about Alan Moore, the incredibly influential graphic novel writer. The man who wrote V for Vendetta which has been made into a film by the Wachowski brothers and is due out in theaters Friday. Moore wanted nothing to do with the film version and said about the film

I've read the screenplay. It's rubbish.

It seems like he's been wronged all throughout his life in one way or another. He sure holds his grudges. I see a lot of me in how he has handled himself through the years. I think he's a sometimes misunderstood unabashed and completely justfied asshole. Like me.

Crash

Just saw Crash over at Ritz Bourse. I really liked it. I wanted to see it for a long time after I saw Don Cheadle on Charlie Rose last May. And with the Oscars hype, it was finally time to see it.

Once we see Capote, we will have seen all of the Best Picture nominees.

Ardmore, A Village at Risk

There's a battle going on just over in Ardmore and the Save Ardmore Coalition have been fighting like hell for their community which is at risk. In conjunction with Scribe Video Center, they've put together a short documentary which will be showcased next Tuesday. Some info:

The Save Ardmore Coalition's 8 minute documentary "Ardmore, A Village at Risk" will be featured at Scribe Video Center's upcoming screening of 4 documentaries produced through its Precious Places Project. All of the documentaries focus on the use of eminent domain for private development and the threat that it presents to the existing community. The video documentaries are the Save Ardmore Coalition's "Ardmore, A Village At Risk", the Cramer Hill Residents Association's Pride of the Hill, the Community Leadership Institute's The Taking of Bodine: Never Forget and Odunde's The Taking of South Central... Philadelphia.

The screening will be followed by community conversation and discussion about the future of our neighborhoods. This event will be held on Tuesday March 7, 2006 at 7:00PM at St. Mary's Episcopal Church, 36 Ardmore Avenue, Ardmore, PA. It is free and open to the public.

I've never been out to Ardmore, but I may be heading out there to see this film and see first hand what's going on just around the way.

What's happening in Ardmore has national significance.

Dems use The Force

No surprise that George Lucasthis is the first time I can recall him on Capitol Hill with a politician in a town hall meeting.

"Star Wars" filmmaker George Lucas joined House Democratic leaders at a town hall meeting on Capitol Hill to roll out an "innovation agenda" that aims to prepare the next generation of technological entrepreneurs.

But the more than 100 college students in attendance had other questions for the writer-director — such as the meaning of this line from "Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith": "So this is how liberty dies, with thunderous applause."

"That really came from an original concept written 30 years ago," he said, explaining that the "Star Wars" series was inspired by ancient Rome, the French Revolution and the rise of Adolf Hitler in Germany. "In all of those countries, a democracy fell through nefarious manipulations behind the scenes, and the people didn't seem to mind."

We have the force on our side. But what episode are we in?

Adrian's of South Philly

I got a cool little peek into the Rocky film being made here in Philly early this morning. A reader of this blog [cool!] sent me the above photo with a little background:

I took a walkabout today south of Washington/East area, and popped into Ippolito's for some fish. Walked out, and thought, is there a new restaurant in Victor's? But no, it was just Rocky movie action.

The place has a temporary new awning and sign that reads "Adrian's" - suspicious, yes? So I ask the dude in the street, yo, did they do that for the movie? He says, yeah man. I'm like, hey that's cool, do you mind if I snap a photo? He's like, yeah sure go for it.

Thank you Kate for the heads up and for the cool story and accompanying shot!

Photo: Kate Atkins