It’s been a good year, but had some ups and downs. And highs, as when my mother got out of the hospital in October. For me it’s been mosaic of which I appreciate greatly.
Archive for December, 2007
bye bye 2007
Thursday, December 27th, 2007
Holiday Movies
Friday, December 21st, 2007
NEW ORDER STORY
(1994)
A nice documentary on New Order, which was satisfying to watch after the somewhat depressing Ian Curtis biopic “Control”. Happily learned more than I expected to, of how the band views their own synth-drumkit music success and the cheeky and detached scene they created. Interviews include the band’s manager and the graphic designer Peter Saville, who was responsible for the band’s iconic album covers and “new order look”. The documentary also talks with impresario Tony Wilson who helped out a few emerging Manchester bands, like Joy Division and the Stone Roses, as well as managed Factory Records and the Hacienda nightclub. Tony Wilson, as portrayed in the documentary, was a big part of New Order’s personal story. He passed away in early August of 2007 at the age of 57. There is also great footage of Peter Hook slamming into his hot bass playing, if you like that sort of thing, which I do. Promptly loaned this DVD to a buddy.
This is cool. A more recent album cover design from Peter hook.
IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE
Directed by Kar Wai Wong (2000)
2046
Directed by Kar Wai Wong (2004)
Even though there is a 4 year gap between the filming of “In the Mood for Love” and “2046″, the story line seamlessly carries forward, so I recommend viewing both movies as close as possible. The second movie “2046″ is a continuation of the moody and bohemian newspaper man’s story from the first movie– who, after the prior events-of-the-heart, attempts to give up not only writing news but other certain feelings. I really liked “2046″ better then the first movie, because of its great analogies, epic character pathos and tender subplots… but also the way it echoes and makes sense of the prior film. The director blurs the sense of place, breaks time lines, and strongly carries the character’s feelings to the viewer. There is even a yearnful sci-fi train ride, heading back from the future, vainly trying to traverse emotional time, which is coiled around the main plot.
It’s a romantic and poignant double-bill — bathed in beautiful light, alien in setting and pace, and rich with exploration of every character’s emotional world — that cannot be beat. Sixteen thumbs up.
more… 2046
Boston Celtics & Chicago Bulls / Snow in Boston
Friday, December 21st, 2007CHI (9-15) 19 22 26 15 = 82
BOS (21-3) 26 30 31 20 = 107
Boston Celtics win pretty persuasively.
Part of my “Blurry Boston Series”
The Boston Public Library.
The BPL unfortunately recently saw its well respected director depart after a long running dispute with the mayor. Boston’s and our loss.
Lynch (one)
Thursday, December 20th, 2007blank and white documentary of David Lynch, made during the preproduction and creation of his last movie. Oh that hair and fascination with visiting factories in eastern europe.
An extreme close-up of David Lynch
Lynch (one)
Directed by: blackANDwhite
Starring: David Lynch
At: the Brattle Theater, Cambridge
Running time: 82 minutes. Unrated
“Lynch (one)” may be the documentary David Lynch wants, but I’m not sure it’s the one he or we deserve.
Made by someone who calls himself blackANDwhite, a longtime member of the director’s inner circle who prefers to remain pseudonymous (it’s not Lynch), the film’s definitely worth a look if you’ve followed the maverick filmmaker on his termite’s path through the pop-culture consciousness. Even die-hard fans, though – by whom I mean those who saw and liked last year’s brilliantly obscure “Inland Empire” – may want more than “Lynch (one)” is willing to give.
…
Lynch’s public persona is that of a folksy genius, but the documentary gives us just enough glimpses of the director in action to reveal a surprisingly harsh on-set taskmaster, with the impatience of an artist, the command of a born leader, and a pungent vocabulary at odds with his devotion to Transcendental Meditation. “Lynch (one)” exposes these contradictions without investigating them, perhaps not wanting to displease the boss. …
Andre the Giant goes to Harvard
Wednesday, December 19th, 2007Andre the Giant does get around..
Picture 1: “Andre the Giant has a Posse Sticker” – this has been on Berkeley street in Boston since the early 1990s. I remember seeing it there while working only a few blocks away. It is well preserved.
Picture 2: I recently ran into the newer design of the “Andre the Giant” sticker, at Harvard.
Henry Rollins interviews Shepard Fairey — pretty good recent interview, and a primer on what “andre the giant” is about…
CRAFTLAND 2007 (Providence)
Saturday, December 15th, 2007The winter’s first hearty snow storm hits Boston, this week.
Gave a friend a ride to the Providence RI airport (T. F. Green) on Saturday.
Stopped by the CRAFTLAND hyper-crafty-gift-zone at Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel’s old location on Westminster St. Much stocked with more handmade goodness and more fun things I just had to pick up for the niece. (hi)
Then Bud got to airport on time. Another Holiday Victory over chaos. yay
One of the snowiest Decembers on record
Thursday, December 13th, 2007
Economic “rebound”
Tuesday, December 11th, 2007About a year and a half ago economists and real estate wonks were predicting that the real estate market had hit bottom and the only where left to go, after maybe resting at bottom for 6 months, was up… Well, those guys just didn’t expect the soft mortgage loans to bulldoze the remnants of that party. Plenty of people who bought over ten years ago are in good shape, but many homes bought in the past 4 years haven’t seen much appreciation. And the most recent homeowners with low income and saddled with predatory loans, are in the worst situation.
Well, now we are hearing that we might have seen the market’s bottom (again). While it’s somewhat fun to try and figure out the ins and outs of the economy, I frankly don’t try to tie my personal future to any meta-trends. It’s just hard to predict. But good practices and good money habits are your best friends in good times as well as recessions.
But the link below reveals another happy-happy-joy-joy attempt to make sense of the economic data and spin it in a positive way. Follow the jump, only if you follow “the market buzz”, are looking for sobering news, and are into monitoring geeky real estate stuff like that…
Worst. Forecasters. Ever? — The cockeyed optimists of the National Association of Realtors.
More fun macro-reading. A more comprehensive article:Economy Holding Up, Reports Find
Maybe the American economy is not going to keel over just yet, after all. “We will muddle through,”… “We are not remotely close” to the bottom of the housing market, said Barry L. Ritholtz, chief executive and director of equity research at Fusion IQ, “until we get this huge inventory worked out.”…The crosscurrents in the economy have put the Fed in a tough position. …
Also:
The End of Cheap Food Rising food prices are a threat to many; they also present the world with an enormous opportunity,
But the rise in prices is also the self-inflicted result of America’s reckless ethanol subsidies. …
But please don’t let all this news keep you up at night… ANYWAY…. the moral of this story is that it’s damn hard to predict the economy…
Cliff Evans – EMPEREAN; Boston Bazaar Bizarre 2007
Sunday, December 9th, 2007Cliff Evans
EMPYREAN
(Nov 9, 2007 – Jan 13, 08)
at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
I’ve been trying to find more video screenings, with out attending mini film festivals. I think I have some good leads, this came up and I saw it. This temporary video-art by Cliff Evans, might be the ONLY contemporary piece of art in the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum– which is more known for its fantastic internal courtyard (now decked out in red poinsettias), leather bound books, doilies, old correspondence, and cool old furniture. The video piece was constructed of five screen projectors mounted the ceiling and projecting upon five widescreens (mounted lengthwise), three screens in the middle and two as the outer wings.
It started off with soothing electronic music playing and Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie riding a camel into the desert and drawing the attention of locals, and paparazzi. As they brought their “celebrity” to the wasteland, many commercial trucks followed them, FedEx, etc, then the military drove in and many men parachuted into the desert. The place was then over-run by tourists, hospitality services, security contractors, military and commercial operations. Spas, tanks, religious preachers, pious people and thrill seekers. And then there was a weird/cool image of a multi-headed flying Cheetah with bird wings and human breasts, roaring and swooping down from the sky. Basically humanity is presented as lost among its animal pursuits. Does this human-system have a stopping point? How long can it sustain its own raging celebrity-party and self-satisfaction? The projection canvas is large but the video is short enough you can watch a few times to see all of the items.
All of the images that Cliff Evans used are found-photos cropped. segmented and animated in a MTV/documentary style. They soothing pan and zoom to tell the story of empire drunk on itself.
The rest of the Gardner Museum is much as it has been for the last several hundred-thousand-millenniums…. “Boston-beautiful” and quirky.
You can get an idea of Cliff Evans’s spacey detached multi-panel videos on YouTube:
15 Reasons to Go to War (part 1)
15 Reasons to Go to War (part 2)
Boston Bazaar Bizarre 2007!
Boston Bazaar Bizarre
I like going to this every year. It only lasts 6 hours, and I blew more money on funny craft-bling than I was expecting. But I do have to shop for the relatives in Alaska. I also bought a perfect bold graphic tote-bag and a handmade black and white comic for today’s secret Santa. The little ‘zine reminded me of my homer junior high school days, when my posse and I drew hilariously dumb black-and-white comic books….
“The Discovery of France: A Historical Geography, from the Revolution to the First World War” book reading
Tuesday, December 4th, 2007The Discovery of France: A Historical Geography, from the Revolution to the First World War
Graham Robb
at the The French Library and Cultural Center
December 4, 2007
Meet the author: Graham Robb as he discusses his and his wife’s multi year, 14,000 mile bike tour through the historically rich French countryside. All the while looking for the constants of French life, over time, from region to region.
…The people lived simply as an inoculation against poverty. A prudent anticipation of misfortune…
MELANCHOLY HISTORICAL TRUISMS FOUND on his JOURNEY
“If the he-wolf doesn’t get you, the she-wolf will.”
“If you make a good soup, the devil will crap in it.”
“If only god were a decent human being.”
French Library and Cultural Center in Boston
Some blurry night shots:
