Filed under: Música, Películas | Tags: Charlton Heston, Easter, Lil Wayne, Ten Commandments, We Takin Over
Woo! Jesus rises once more!
Celebrate with potatoes au gratin (which I won’t be making due to massive thesis chapter 2 total rewrite), family (which isn’t here, obviously), and the Ten Commandments (part of which I watched today!)!
And duh, reposted Weezy:
[Download "We Takin' Over" AGAIN!]
Filed under: Música, Películas | Tags: Heartworn Highways, thesis hell, Townes Van Zandt, Youtube Clip of the Day
Today’s Song to Kill Yourself To:
Otherwise known as the youtube clip of the day that will break your heart.
[Download Towne Van Zandt's "Waiting Around to Die"]]
The footage is from Heartworn Highway a excellent documentary covering the various careers/lives of a lot of the folk/alt-country set, such as Guy Clarke, Townes, Charlie Daniels, Steve Earle, etc. Highly recommended.
Filed under: Música, Películas | Tags: Ryan Gosling, The Notebook, wasting my time, Youtube Clip of the Day
Poor Ryan Gosling. Getting your heart broken by that beezy in the Notebook. Obviously, she’s a slut. And of course crazy’s gonna get the alzheimer’s and break your heart all over again.
So sad and lame.
And yes, I rented The Notebook for the fourth time from the hipster movie store. How I don’t own this movie already, I really, really don’t know.
Anyways, Hottie Ryan Gosling doing what you wouldn’t think he’d do best:
Filed under: Películas, School | Tags: Cormac McCarthy, finals hell, Lucero
I forgot how much I hate the character of Alejandra in Cormac McCarthy’s All the Pretty Horses. (For those that haven’t read the book, Penélope Cruz’s character in the movie version). Anyone who could break John Grady Cole’s heart is a beezy in my mind.
I also forgot how much I love A Streetcar Named Desire (both play and movie). Blanche is so very, very well-written.
Also, the new design of WordPress is kinda whack.
Lucero on Friday. Maybe Ben Nichols will NOT be super drunk this time and the concert will be enjoyable, perhaps even an accurate reflection of why I love Lucero so much.
Finals Schedule
Borderlands
Crossing the Border in McCarthy’s Border Trilogy (10-15 pages) [better title to come], Monday
Magical Realism
My Definition of Magical Realism as it Relates to Film (8-10 pages), Tuesday
La movida
From Movement to Depression in the Works of Almodóvar (8-10 pages), Wednesday
Sooo…. as of tomorrow afternoon, BAFICI will officially be done this year (and probably for ever, lest I return to Buenos Aires at the same time some other year). While it may be too early to give official rulings on everything (who knows, maybe Paranoid Park is really a force to be reckoned with… or not), but I think I’ll throw caution to the wind and pass on some judgment TOMORROW (or actually, when I get back from Iguazu Waterfalls and camping and doing all sorts of non-kosher things).
For now, I’d like to reitirate how much I love and truly believe in the music of Ryan Bingham. While the Drive-By Truckers put on a better show (of course, NO ONE can top DBT), Ryan Bingham hits me in a way that they, and no one else for that matter, really can. I’ve seen him twice. Each time was amazing. He even headlined the second show (obviously spawning one of my best stories to date). But, I’ve been looking for footage of his performance on Leno (really?), which isn’t posted, but instead I’ve been reading all the media coverage about him and as such, I’ve spent the last few hours zoning in and out while playing Mescalito on repeat. In the rainforest, this will be my soundtrack. I know it.
My favorite Ryan Bingham songs:
“Hard Times” (off Mescalito seriously, buy it now)
[seriously, download, but really, you should just buy it. Soooo good.]
“The Highway” (not really on anything you can buy, so buy Mescalito!)
“Roadhouse Gypsy” (see above, but seriously SO GOOD)
But really, nothing quite beats seeing him live. So do it. And maybe one day, I’ll: marry Ryan Bingham, sleep with him, OR interview him/make a documentary about him. Take you’re pick, for I’m off to bed because I have 3 hours of class to skip tomorrow.
Filed under: Música, Películas | Tags: BAFICI, Balabanov, Dock Boggs, Dr. Dog, Дмитрий Дюжев, E-40, ELO, Juelz Santana, Lil Wayne, Rolling Stones
“I’d never gone to Tennessee, to sing my songs and chase my dreams / If it wasn’t for Texas.”
BAFICI is going well. Today was Day, what, 5 or something crazy like that. Tickets are incredibly difficult to come by, with many movies being completely sold out days in advance of any of their 3-5 different showings. This I have difficulty understanding, since it seems only 3 tickets offer entradas anticipadas; whereas, for the other 6 theatres, you have to wake up early, stand in a long, long line, only to get to the window and be told that the show you had waited so long, traveled so long for was indeed agotada (or sold out). A frustrating process indeed, but still, I’ve managed to buy tickets to most of the 16 films I wanted to see.
As such, to commemorate the just past half-way mark of this year’s festival, I’ll offer a rundown of this year’s (so far) highlights and low-points, of course, with a song to match the movie:
Déficit (dir: Gael García Bernal)
The first film I saw. Obviously sold out. I guess the female “star” of the movie is famous in Argentina, so she got a loud cheer after her first screen appearance. In Spanish (of course), but for some reasons, included French subtitles. While I could get most of the Spanish, when combined with subtitles (that I occasionally got), I know I missed some things, but over all, I doubt it would’ve mattered. Funny in parts, weird in others. Generally not a very good movie. A very disappointing directorial debut from one of the Mexico’s best actors.
Essentially, a glorified American teen movie (with some real weird twists…), nothing fits more than this song.
The Click – “Let’s Get Drunk” (feat. [of course] E-40)
Mister Lonely (dir: Harmony Korine)
Definitely a weird movie. Definitely sold out every single one of it’s showings. From the director of Gummo, which in itself was obviously a weird one, too, but also the unofficial director of that mess of an attempt at being way too artsy, Julien Donkey-Boy. Basic plot: A Michael Jackson impersonator meets a Marilyn Monroe impersonator who happens to live at a farm with Charlie Chaplin and Shirley Temple (who just happens to be Ms. Monroe’s daughter). Can’t say that I hated this movie, can’t say that I liked it, either. So I don’t know. Weird, but not JDB weird, just weird and could have been executed a bit better.
In honor of the unfortunate mess that was Julien Donkey-Boy, one of my favorite Dock Boggs songs (which just happened to be featured prominently in the OST).
Ballast (dir. Lance Hammer)
The first of the American movies to play. The director attended this showing and unfortunately had to deal with questions such as: “So, how’d you make this movie without being called a racist?” or “That was a sad movie. There were no smiles.” To which he replied, in order, “Do you think I’m racist?” and “Yeah, I guess it is a sad, smile-less movie.” Not a great movie, kind of bland, a little to experimental in parts. For about a quarter of the movie, I sat there wishing Mr. Hammer had just stopped trying to push the “what is art?” envelope and focused instead on more character development, or something. Just saying.
In honor of Hammer repping the Dirty:
Juelz Santana – “Do My Thing” (feat. Lil Wayne)
El sueño del perro (dir. Paulo Pécora)
Award for worst movie I’ve ever sat through goes to… this one! Worse than the fiasco known world-over as 2046, El sueño del perro essentially tore out all the pages from the “How to Make an Artsy Movie that No One Will Like” textbook. Thankfully, since Pécora had all those pages, no one else could quite follow the directions step-by-step. As such, while other movies flirted with overt visual imagery and oh-so-subtle (like a brick against the head) auditory clues and long-drawn out stretches of silence with no purpose other than making you fall asleep quite as much as this movie. I honestly fell asleep in the theatre (first time ever!) and when I woke up the same image was still on the screen.
Of course, the most fitting song to match this piece of shit is the Dr. Dog’s masterpiece “Wake Up” off their first album, Easy Beat.
Shine a Light (dir: SCORSESE!!)
Scorsese + the Rolling Stones. What more really needs to be said? More than just a concert film, not really a biopic, but more an interesting hybrid of the two as directed by one of the greatest directors to have ever stood behind a camera. A nice reminder amidst all the high art that you’re focus need not be some obscure event or some oppressed deal to be beautiful. The transitions between concert footage, historical footage, and build-up footage was pitch perfect. A whole lot of fun.
The Rolling Stones – “The Girl with the Far-Away Eyes”
Sooo much Balabanov (dir: Aleksei Balabanov)
Each year, BAFICI selects a few directors and then they do a retrospective. This year, most were fairly un-noteworthy selections; however, for whatever reason, Balabanov was chosen this time around. Meaning: The Castle, Of Freaks & Men, Brat, Brat 2, It Doesn’t Hurt, Dead Man’s Bluff…. et al. Obviously, many enjoyable classics and even some newer ones in there to show just why Balabanov is one of the best thing’s in Russia right now. Not to mention: Dmitri Dyuzhev! Not that I’m especially well-versed in Russian actors, but I’ve found him to be pretty solid over the years. Not to mention his hottie status (imagine Javier Bardem, but Russian, and not quite as talented). Clearly, Dead Man’s Bluff is pretty hard to top, but of course, his earlier work is not to be missed. And so I didn’t.
At one point in one of Dead Man’s Bluffs most memorable scenes, Dmitri Dyuzhev flips through a vinyl collection. He spots ELO. And so, to that Russian hottie, I dedicate this…
Electric Light Orchestra – “Fifth of Beethoven”
THE END.
Score. I might ***knockknockknock on wood*** get the apartment with Margie for next year! Yay! for a supposedly high senior lottery number (72) and a shockingly low (32!!) general lottery number! And this year they changed the policy, so there aren’t two people for each number (boy and girl 32, meaning you’re actually 63/64), so yay again! Only 31 people in front of me! Margie, on the other hand, is 372. So yeah. I guess I’m just getting luckier as I get older. Maybe even lucky enough for us to form the estrogen-loaded female Apatyment. Been a long time coming, so fingers crossed.
Yesterday, at BAFICI, I saw a movie that I literally hated more than 2046. It was called El Sueño del perro and it was god-awful it oh-so-many ways. On the other hand, I got to see Scorsese’s Shine a LIght, which was, obviously, awesome. Very enjoyable. Sometimes cinema doesn’t have to be “high” to be good and Scorsese has finally jumped on that bandwagon.
My new grading policy for my independent independent study is based almost solely on the number of cultural activities I do. Meaning: movies, museums, historical things (like eating in old cafés!), and like reading sometimes. I am the best professor in the world.
Filed under: Películas, School, Trips | Tags: BAFICI, Gael Garcia Bernal, hotties
So I guess I’m my sister’s hero nowadays. Which is sad, but I guess it shouldn’t come as such as suprise, but really, it does. I’m also the beneficiary of her life insurance. Meaning: I get the kids if something (knock on wood) happens to her. This is a lot to take into consideration following dinner with my friend over pizza while discussing just how exciting the prospect of fun in the rain forest (yay! next week!) will be while camping en route to one of the world’s greatest waterfalls will be. All this, and I could be in charge of the kids… dang that’s a lot.
It’s times like these I’m glad I’ve ignored (thus far) my ever-ticking, perpetually louder biological clock. While I may ooh and aww at adorable babies without control, I will not procreate. Not yet anyway. And yet, somehow I could be in charge of 2-3 beautiful, amazing babies (that aren’t really babies anymore, but still, in my eyes, they will always be the perfect creatures I first saw…
Today was Day 1 of my hella independent independent study. I, as the awesome professor that I am, am awarding credit for every BAFICI movie I see over the course of the next two weeks. So far, I’ve got one (woo! Déficit directed by Gael Garcia Bernal (hottie!). Tomorrow I will (knock on wood) add 4 more. For sure, 1 more. Probably at least 3. We shall see. Class is canceled (not that I would have gone anyways) and I have all the time in the world to sit in dark theatres for 4 pesos a pop all day long. And I couldn’t be happier.
In conclusion, my ind. study professor wants to do me. I don’t quite know how I’ll react if he moves beyond the awkward fantasizing about me phase. Time will tell, I guess. If I/he choose(s) yes, yet another life goal will be fulfilled. Yay for crossing English Professor off my list!
Bed time because tomorrow I have to wake up early to stand in colas to buy film festival tickets…
Filed under: Música, Películas, School, Trips | Tags: hotties, Missouri, movies
As is the current trend, I rewatched (subtitled, por supuesto) a movie that really made an impression on me back in the day.
A Love Song for Bobby Long with John Travolta and ScarJo (back in the day when she could act and always played a bitch that turns out nice by the time the credits roll). Basic premise: ScarJo’s mom dies, she moves into her old house in Alabama where John Travolta and (hottie) Gabriel Macht squat the house, drink copious amounts of alcohol, and occasionally write something, or more specifically Gabriel Macht is writing the fictional account of John Travolta’s (Bobby Long) life up to this point.
In my movie store in Carthage, I always walk past this movie and think just how much I really loved it. In Portland, I walk past it and do the same thing. Heck, I do here in Buenos Aires at the movie store around the corner from me. And yet, I literally know no one who has heard of, let alone seen and admired this movie. Why? Today, when I rewatched it, the movie proved to have staying power beyond me randomly thinking about it. I still cried like I cried so many years ago. I still knew the words to the songs. When the references to The Heart is a Lonely Hunter pop up, my heart still swelled at the thought of how much I love that book. It still makes me want to write, to live in the idyllic small town, hell, to ignore my true self and get all lovey-dovey hippie on the world (again, oh god!). And yet, no one’s seen it. That makes me sad.
In conclusion, I really wanted to watch Scorsese’s “Shine a Light” tonight the BsAs film festival, but it was sold out and adding to a long list of mean people/bad things, the lady was really rude. Oh well. Tomorrow’s another day. And once I’m done with 13 hours of school, only 3 hours stand between me and my perpetual 4-day weekend. And then only a week until two weeks of no school. Meaning: waterfalls, colorful rainforest fun, camping, and empanadas.
As corny as it is, this song always makes me smile a little, or maybe ever get a little happy for just a bit, maybe forget the 90 minute commute I’m about to start, or maybe even miss Missouri just a bit… but seriously, the second song, I’m not ashamed to admit, always gets me (real good).
“Missing Missouri” – Sara Evans
Missouri’s little girl. Who happened to write a song that includes these lyrics:
Everytime my bus wheels hit the boot hill
There’s no limelight and I’m alright
‘Cause I’m almost home
Late summer nights sneakin out the window
Me and the girls driving down the backroads
Tobacco fields and bumblebees
And the cardinals playing on TV
Where they love me, where they know me
Where they show me back in Missouri
Warms my heart. This is the perfect subte riding song.
I heard this for the first time in a Forever 21 (what?) in Springfield over winter break. I honestly stopped what I was doing, stood there like an idiot and pretty much starting crying. Right then and there. THAT is the power of Garth. He may have been almost single handedly responsible for the shit state of Nashville right now (although he’s got some serious neo-traditional stuff going on when he wants to), he’s still about as good as you can get nowadays. Side note: drinking with BFFs at birthday sleep-overs/drunk fests, literally playing every Garth song to track down this one (which no one had anyways) is forever going to be one of my prized memories.
