July 2, 2008
'Release:'
I've been making these kinds of short videos every once in a while.
And posting the short films at our art and design blog for Design Kompany.
There are reels and reels of Digital8 tape here at DK world headquarters in Capitol Hill, Seattle.
I guess they're tapes. Not reels. Not reelly.
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April 12, 2008
We got tagged, yo.
So, the other day our house/office door gets a special treatment courtesy of "Basey." I kind of recognize the signature, so I assume he/she lives around here.
Sharpie on glass:
The speech bobble is ours, from the decoration of our open house a couple of months ago. It used to say "yes!" I guess that was sort of an invitation, to the tagger.
We are enjoying this actually, kind of like having a conversation (the bubbles help). Does anyone know who Basey is?
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March 5, 2008
JERO, enka-singing hip hop artist
Is this art? Maybe.
The music (and the singing) is not beyond the realm of karaoke-bar cabaret, but the visuals are quite amusing (whether it's intended to be hip reference to the early 90's pseudo-hiphop (Vanilla Ice, anyone?) or just a poor attempt at vanilla/nonthreatening hiphop image).
I am not sure what to make of it -- I mean, is the record label really serious? Or the media that's promoting this? Are there real fans of this kid? Who are they? This kind of snipped pieces tend to get taken out of context, for sure, and this video might just be something done in jest, or some minor subculture that's forgotten. But I have to say, I am a bit concerned...
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June 24, 2007
"Once": a delightful love story, music
Just watched a tiny-budgeted Irish film called "once." D told me it featured Glen Hansard, the front man from Irish rock band the Frames, and I was intrigued. It would be nice to see Dublin in a film again, too, as the story was said to be set there. Sure, it's a off-night, we can while away the long summer night watching a little love story, a diversion.
Turns out, it's a musical(!). What a perfect idea. Done just right, too.
Hansard plays a lonely, struggling busker on Grafton Street, who meets a Czech girl, played by a new-comer Markéta Irglová, peddling flowers on the same street. He's pursuing his passion, but broken hearted and frustrated. Her passion is playing music, but her circumstances are so that she has to make the ends meet by selling flowers and cleaning big houses. The story is about them meeting, collaborating, falling in love, and ultimately inspiring each other.
It's a perfect idea because Hansard started his musical career as a busker (he is fish in the water performing), he and Irglová have already collaborated as Swell Season (Hansard's solo project), and the movie becomes perfect showcase for the duo's haunting, beautiful tunes.
Its execution is perfect, too. They shot this with hand-held cameras, documentary-style, with an almost off-handed, gorgeous-by-accident looking cinematography. The director, John Carney, was actually a member of the Frames once and a close friend of Hasard. Their rapport translates nicely to a very intimate, immediate feeling of kids hanging out, having fun. In the film's Irish web site, Carney quips: "I was like: 'Brilliant!' This is back to how we were when we were 16, with a camcorder and friends and some songs."
This low-budget, indy art ethos, combined with natural straight-up acting by the non-actors and the simple story-telling, makes for a "musical" that feels authentic and natural. The story lends itself to the format well, as the two spontaneously break into songs quite naturally, in a guitar shop, a studio, his bedroom and a bus.
The story is simple enough. There's not much surprise in the plot, but the songs and chemistry between the cast and the filmmakers provide the hook. The dialog is sparse and the attention was naturally drawn to the songs, whose words are suggestive enough to carry the narrative yet leaving lots of room for imagination. Despite being a bit of music geek, I never sat thorough music movies and paid so much attention to the songs themselves, as I did with this one.
You're moving too fast for me
And I can't keep up with you
Maybe if you slowed down for me
I could see you're only telling
Lies, lies, lies
This over the home-video footage of Hansard's character and his ex-girlfriend, as he writes the song (okay, that scene is a lot less believable than, say, the scene where the two leads spontaneously start singing together in a piano shop. But hey, it's a musical). The song/scene provides much richer experience of what his situation is and what his mental state is than, say, a phone conversation (which happens later in the film, with less gravita and relevance in my opinion).
To me personally, though, it was simply just delightful to see the streets and landscapes of Dublin and Ireland. Hearing "Fair City Waltz" really cracked me up (had to stifle my laugh, as no one else was getting the reference, and the joke that these Russians were learning English through the most revered and lampooned day-time drama in Ireland), and hearing the accent made me nostalgic ("I have a hoover broken" "what's wrong with it?" "Ah, it's focked, yea.").
Another personal highlight in terms of our connection to Ireland: the legendary singer song-writer Fergus O'Farrell (Interference) puts in a cameo appearance during the party scene. He is one of our favorite singers we discovered while in Ireland, and we own a signed copy of his album (If anyone is reading this, you should check out Interference here) now). O'Farrell has collaborated with Hansard before, and his song "Gold" and his presence captures the spirit of the film well. Good to see you, Fergus!
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May 2, 2007
Fuzzy
Everyone should shut down their computers right this minute and go see this film, Hot Fuzz. Just go. Do it now.
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September 19, 2006
The Savage Planet
This 1973 animation by French director Rene Laloux unloaded lots of color and surprise.
It reminded me of The Wall, given the vivid soundtrack and imaginative character animations.
Someone online described it as "trippy science fiction" but really, it's a good idea to pay attention to the storyline. If you were preoccupied, you'd miss a lot of layers of messages.
They translated the title for the English-speaking audience from La Planete Sauvage, or "The Savage Planet," to "Fantastic Planet." [A note about translations: In Japan, Hollywood film titles that get translated often get obscured like this, so in some video stores they categorize these by actor. Tom Cruise. Brad Pitt. Et Cetera.]
In the film I'm talking about, aliens and humans vie for the right to occupy space and be in charge of their world. But power struggles aren't just between the two species, they're internal too. Humans battle it out for the power to influence their own kind and be in control of the planet's resources, even fighting to the death.
Imagine!
Outside of City Market, a little corner store in Capitol Hill, there's a sign about different kinds of coffee on sale all at the same time. It says, "If our coffee can get along, why can't we?"
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May 17, 2006
Three Figures
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April 25, 2006
Handmade Books: Seattle Central Graphic Design Show
D and I just stumbled upon a student graphic design show at Seattle Central Community College today. As it happens the show's only on until tomorrow.
It's nice to see student work, and compare it to what's done by real world 'designers.'
The assistant curator who greeted us said the students made everything themselves, from the cover designs to the layout of the innards. They even bound the books by hand.
The results are very beautiful. Mind you, there's not ground-breaking design that pushes the boundaries of the medium, but you can definitely see each of these in real bookstores.
I can see us at DK working alongside the people who produced the books in the near future.
Congratulations to the Graphic Design students at Seattle Central, looking forward to seeing more!
Graphic Design Program Book Show
Date: Through Friday, April 26
Place: M. Rosetta Hunter Art Gallery, Seattle Central Community College
Hours: 9:30 - 3:30 pm, closes at Noon on Friday
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April 2, 2006
Last Night's Movie Stars
Saw a really intriguing animation yesterday as part of a collection of music videos and shorts.
Animator Max Hattler says “Collision” uses Islamic patterns, American quilts, and flag geometry to create "an abstract field of reflection." The shapes seem to take on personality as they shift about a white background; sound tells the story.
Hattler made the piece last year at the Royal College of Art, and it's been in a bunch of film festivals since. You can download it here, or catch it as part of the series...
Date: April 2
Place: NW Film Forum, 1515 12th Ave., Capitol Hill
Time: 7 pm
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March 6, 2006
Northwest Rock Nerds do it again
Full beards and flannel shirts (Brokeback Mountain style) are back in. And it might be partly because of these guys. Band of Horses played to a full-house audience at Neumo's over the weekend. The main guys Ben Bridwell and Mat Brooke openly showed their excitement about the turnout, and the crowd responded to it warmly.
Horses play a fine mixture of alt-country and shoe-gazing indy rock ("rootless roots rock", our local rag described), but on stage they had a lot more oomph than you would expect from the genre. Bridwell sang his heart out with youthful abandon (very impressive voice, by the way), while the guitarist Brook was as steady and masterful at his instruments as Bridwell was nervous and shaky. More than detracting from the songs, this on-stage ying and yang drew the audience in and held it there. They are definitely one of the most impressive bands I've seen on stage for the first time in recent years.
Music aside, these guys, like the grunge rockers of ten years ago, are setting a fashion trend without meaning to. Sporting jeans, flannels and facial hair, they look like any old Northwest slackers. But on stage, it's a differnt story. Mid-set, a young woman yells "you are so sexy!" and boom, all of a sudden beer-'n-sweat-drenched beards look appealing to everyone in the room. Look out, New York. Move over, big sunglasses. It's Sasquatch time.
March 10th, 2006 Neurolux Bosie, ID
March 11th, 2006 Kilby Court Salt Lake City, UT
March 12th, 2006 Larimer Lounge Denver, CO
March 14th, 2006 Conservatory Oklahoma City, OK
March 15th, 2006 Hailey's Denton, TX
March 17th, 2006 Red Eye Fly Austin, TX
March 21st, 2006 Rhythm Room Phoenix, AZ
March 22nd, 2006 KIng King Los Angeles, CA
March 23rd, 2006 Mainzer Theater Merced, CA
March 24th, 2006 The Independent San Francisco , CA
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February 22, 2006
SciFi Film Stuff (2)
They had a sellout crowd at the Science Fiction Short Film Festival I was telling you about. I'd gone to the second set of screenings, along with 799 other people.
After the shorts, a bunch of the directors lined up to talk about their movies. For their day jobs, most of them work in film or video or animation, but one person was in IT. Someone was from Dublin, someone else from Israel, and the sole woman in the group from Canada. They all said how delighted they were to have their movies up there on the big screen*. One film was shot in 48 hours, and cost $60 CAN, another was a three-year project upwards of $30K. So it just depends.
One of the SIFF folks said they didn't know there'd be so much demand for this kind of thing, so they may expand it to two days in 07.
This one girl had on a black strapless dress, kind of like a sundress, even though gale-force winds that day nearly toppled cars. Come to think of it, a lot of people wore black. I wonder if there was an unwritten dress code? If so, I certainly broke it. My coat is white.
*My own short movie, "The India Tapes," will screen on March 24 at Central Cinema in Seattle. More on this later.
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February 21, 2006
Nine Lines from Paul Bowles
"You know," said Port, and his voice sounded unreal, as voices are likely to do after a long pause in an utterly silent spot, "the sky here's very strange. I often have the sensation when I look at it that it's a solid thing up there, protecting us from what's behind."
Kit shuddered slightly as she said: "From what's behind?"
"Yes."
"But what is behind?" Her voice was very small.
"Nothing, I suppose. Just darkness. Absolute night."
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January 10, 2006
ムービーリビュー： Brazil
タイトル: Brazil (1985)
鑑賞日時：2006年 1月 6日 Central Cinema (Central District, Seattle)
主演： Jonathan Pryce, Robert De Niro, Katherine Helmond
監督： Terry Gilliam
久しぶりのムービーレビューです。映画を見るのは相変わらず好きなんですが、寸評を書くのがなかなか追いつかなくって。。。また去年見た映画（「Heights」「2046」あたりが特に良かった）も暇を見て追加していきます。
さて、また古い映画ですが、この映画、ずっと見てみたかったんですよ。テーマソングに使われた曲「Aquarela Brazileira」（「チャッチャッチャ、チャラ〜チャッチャラ♪ ブラジ〜ル！」という、あれ）を高校時代に演奏したことがあった、というのもあって。ちょうど去年あたりに新しくできた映画を見ながら食事ができるシアターでリバイバルをやっている、というので、珍しい体験もかねていってきたという訳です。
監督はモンティ・パイソンで有名なテリー・ギリアム（この人、知らなかったけど、「Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas」「Twelve Monkeys」「The Fisher King」なんかの監督もやってるんですね）。カラフルでどたばたなシーンが盛りだくさんで、なかなか飽きないストーリーになってます。クロサワ映画や戦艦ポチョムキンへのオマージュもあったり、登場人物や台詞に深い意味がこもってたりと、何回見ても楽しめそうな、凝った作品になってます。
ジョージオーウェルの「１９８４」が下敷きになってる近未来の話で、早い話が現代社会のパロディなのですが、テロのシーンとか、今見ても現実味のある、というかちょっと現実に近すぎて恐ろしいような場面も。当時は救いがなさすぎるということでカットになった最後のシーンも、今見るとなんか当たり前、というか「そうなるだろ、やっぱり」という感じでショックは少ない。それだけ、救いのない世の中になったのかと思うとちょっと情けないですが。でも、ブッシュのアメリカならこれくらいやるだろ、本当。
演技にはあんまり見るところないですが、一つだけ、政府の間違いの犠牲になった未亡人（Sheila Reid）の演技が泣けたのと、若き日のロバート・デニーロが脇役だけどいい味出してます。
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December 20, 2005
Carolina in My Mind
My parents are writing. For the first time, I am seeing exclamation points in their e-mails.
See, the thing is, we are going to Asheville, North Carolina, for... a family reunion, I guess you could call it. Though I don't know what that really is, since we've never had one. Okay, there was a wedding in recent memory, but it happened so quickly we hardly had time to greet one another. Y'all know how it is.
This time, we'll make mince pies. We'll watch the Christmas Special of The Office. We'll bring our espresso maker and some coffee from Seattle.
Time will go slowly, since we've decided to let it.
Last year Akira and I thought it would be neat to go somewhere warm. We flew to San Diego and Tijuana, then caught the train straight to Los Angeles. The point was to get away from the dreary rain of the sort we are experiencing today, shortly after the winter solstice. But after we checked into our hotel in LA and put our stuff down and headed out, it started raining.
"It never rains in LA!" everyone gasped. That year they had a record downpour. Meanwhile, a tsunami hit a coast in Indonesia.
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December 17, 2005
Lines from Cloud Tectonics
Tonight is the last evening this play by The Motorcycle Diaries' screenwriter Jose Rivera is on in Capitol Hill.
Cloud Tectonics, showing at Capitol Hill Arts Center, is really good if you like thinking about how art and math collide, though many reviewers don't write past the fact that most of the time we hear about time.
Or more precisely, the slowing or stopping of it. Yes, this is intriguing and sets the story's frame. But hooked onto that is much more than actors playing out a "what if?" supposition that time could somehow pause.
Earlier in the day I snapped this picture. That evening I heard these lines:
"What better way to respond to a miracle than to fall in love with it?
"The anatomy of the wind.
"The architecture of silence.
"Cloud tectonics."
Even the dynamics of astrophysics figure into the script. Consider the names of our players: Anibal de la Luna and Celestina del Sol. Subtle references throughout touch on energy, chemistry, and spaces powerfully packed with charge.
Not in matter form, mind you, but the shape of blooming love.
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December 6, 2005
ナイス Show!
Artist Yuki Omaki (top right, right) now has a web site. Right.
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November 25, 2005
Yuki's Show: "Lost Colors"
An artist friend of ours, Yuki Omaki, makes his Seattle debut soon with a series of oil paintings at Aoki Japanese Restaurant.
Yuki was a chef for years at this popular spot for Capitol Hill sushi lovers. Earier this summer, the self-taught artist turned his focus to painting full time, though he's handled a brush since moving to Seattle 12 years ago.
Yuki says the need to feel open space inspired his art career. "I was living in a basement apartment without a window," he explains. "I wanted to paint something of a far away place, to look at as my window to the world outside."
He's done several pieces on commission, and his vivid paintings have also been sold to local art lovers. His works range from colorful abstracts ("all out of my imagination") to evocative landscapes with an impressionistic bent.
The December 5 show will feature Yuki's most recent works as well as a few of his favorites from his earlier commissions.
The show comes at an important juncture of his career. In January, the artist plans to relocate to Prague, Czech Republic.
"I've never been to Europe," he says, "but European art has always been my inspiration. It will be awesome to be surrounded by the works of the greats, and paint my own impressions of what they saw."
There'll be a cash bar and Yuki will also make samples of complimentary sushi.
Here's where Yuki's setting up a web site.
Date: Monday, December 5
Time: 6pm - 10pm
Place: Aoki Japanese Restaurant | 621 East Broadway, Seattle, WA 98102
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October 25, 2005
Happy Diwali
I was in Delhi for Diwali once. Talk about color and light.
It was on the way back by train from somewhere south of Goa. I switched to a city bus and got a box of sweets from a corner store. They were for my relatives. When I walked up to the gate, I felt a strange sense of being home.
"Happy Diwali!"
The days leading up to Diwali in India are like the days leading up to Christmas in Ireland. Except, of course, for the millions of firecrackers and dancing in the streets. But in both places, store clerks and street vendors are happy. Wrapping gifts. Tis the season. And joy.
For those who are wondering, Diwali is the festival of lights. Also called Deepavali. Hence the common names Deepa, Deepak and Deepika, also spelled with an "i."
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October 17, 2005
Tea + Shakuhachi
This tea place we found is like a salon: they'll work with so you get exactly what you want.
"Are you an oolong person? Any preference, strong or weak?" Bits of loose leaves come flying out of bags. "Smell."
This guy says he can tell you what part of Taiwan a sample comes from, if not which exact mountain.
"Stop by Saturday," he says, all smiles. A couple will play the koto and shakuhachi, a Japanese bamboo flute.
Date: Saturday, October 22
Place: Floating Leaves Teahouse, Ballard
Time: 4 pm and 7 pm
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September 10, 2005
Bumbershoot
So, we spent the last weekend of our summer here in Seattle checking out (mostly) local music and art scene at Bumbershoot, a long-standing festival of everything art held at Seattle Center (that's where the needle is).
夏の終わりのフェスティバル、バンバーシュートに行ってきました！ 写真もちょっと撮ってきたので見てください。
Here are some pictures we took. Enjoy!
Of course, the main thing for me was the music. I had to see Trey Anastasio play on Saturday, though I was going to miss a pretty good sounding reading and fundraiser by Dave Eggers & Co. (including Daniel Handler and Deathcab for Cutie). I hear it was a hoot. Well, it'd been five years since I got my phish fix, too, damn it.
This is the foundamental problem with attending any large multi-stage music festival: You have to choose. Bumbershoot boasts like 11 stages, so you are constantly nagged by the feeling you are missing something better when you are at a perfectly good performance.
シアトル最大の芸術祭で、スペースニードルのあるシアトル・センターで毎年９月第一週末に開催されます。１１ものステージでいっぺんにコンサートやリーディング、演劇、コメディー等が繰り広げられ、外では土産物や屋台も出るので、とてもじゃないけど見切れません。どこへ行こうか迷っているうちに半日はゆうにつぶれてしまいます。
Anyways, the two standout shows for us were the Decemberists, who took the main stage on Monday afternoon under beautiful weather, and Kinski, who came on later in fancy EMP sky lounge with laser lights and big projector screen.
メインはやっぱり音楽。ポートランドのThe Decemberistsというバンドと、シアトルのKinskiが良かった。同じくシアトルのMercirというエレクトロニカのバンドも結構面白かったです。僕は実はPHISHの大ファン（だった）なので、土曜日には一人でTrey Anastasioのコンサートも見てきました。久しぶりだったので感慨もひとしお。写真は無いけど。
Kinski's main guitars (or was it the effector) broke, and the poor man had to improvise with his voice in the last couple of songs, but their playing was rock solid and arrangement impeccable, that we came out with huge grins.
Kinskiは、ノイズ系のバンドでニルヴァーナとか居た頃からやってるベテラン。豪華なステージでライトショーをバックに華麗なステージでした。途中でギターが壊れちゃって声でごまかしてたのはご愛嬌。
There were art exhibits, too. We enjoyed the rock poster exhibition (dubbed "Flatstock") a lot, but there were pretty interesting modern art installations, too. Japanese artist Miyooon's "cells" was a lot of fun. There was a sound-art themed room with loads of installations incorporating sound or noise. You could spend all day just checking these out.
もちろん、芸術祭と名うっているくらいだから、アートのインスタレーションもちゃんとあります。日本からもアーティストが来てました。写真は自然をテーマにしたインスタレーションの一部と思われる、植木鉢少女。
Posted by Akira at 10:16 PM | Comments (0)
September 9, 2005
Midival Punditz
So tomorrow these electronica/bhangra DJs from New Delhi are playing in Capitol Hill.
I discovered Midival Punditz at this barbecue last summer, where our host was cool and danced away to the CD. This was amazing to me. In my three years in West Cork I caught mostly singer/songwriter acoustic gigs (which I also love – Fran Hayes is brilliant). But grilling up my veggie burger in the U-District last year, it was so groovy to hear Indian music again. And I’m not talking about the kind of stuff they played on Geet Mala. I mean electronified i-music. The way they do it in London. Or Birmingham, I hear. Man.
So I meant to run out and buy these guys’ album right away, but forgot about it. Until last week.
Weirdly, the Punditz were at the Seattle music festival Bumbershoot. Then they scooted to Santa Monica and are in Houston today, but will be back to play for Seattle tomorrow. And this time, I’ll catch them. In my neighborhood. In a small venue. With Akira, who after a couple of Punjabi weddings is beginning to “get” why I love this crazy stuff.
Apparently, so do these guys. This site's called "ethnotechno."
Date: Saturday, September 12
Time: IST? (Indian Standard Time)
Place: Baltic Room, 1207 Pine Street (Capitol Hill, Seattle)
Posted by Dipika at 11:28 AM | Comments (0)
September 2, 2005
Music
Yesterday I tune into KEXP and two songs catch my ear. The first one is new to me.
10:14 The Fading Collection Q Supertron Happiness Is Easy Music
DJ Comments: 9/3 Seattle, WA @ Bumbershoot.
The second one has a familiar voice. Nice to hear Kristin Hersh again, but with different words.
11:36 Kristin Hersh Trouble Sunny Border Blue 4AD
DJ Comments: Cat Stevens cover
KEXP is playing a lot of songs to promote Bumbershoot, which is this weekend and is supposed to be this huge deal. Akira is psyched up to hear Trey Anastasio, this guy who was in Phish.
Today I also heard the debut album of The Friday Mile. I like the sixth track, called "Where The People Waited," because it makes you stop typing for a second. And think. Songs should do that more.
Posted by Dipika at 3:08 PM | Comments (0)
August 10, 2005
Midnight Movie: AKIRA
Akira will be signing autographs this weekend at a screening of AKIRA.
"The visionary graphics and... hyperkinetic storytelling in this movie have yet to be superceded."
-- Randy
"Katsuhiro Otomo's masterpiece."
-- I(Heart)Anime
"Nice T-shirt."
-- Miss Moxie, Seattle
Date: Friday, August 12
Time: Midnight
Place: Egyptian, 805 East Pine Street (Capitol Hill, Seattle)
Posted by Dipika at 9:58 PM | Comments (0)
August 4, 2005
Gig
So the other day A and I headed to the Crocodile, this little venue downtown, to see the Crystal Skulls open for Brendan Benson. “The Crystal Skulls?” is what I said but they were charming, not metal-ly like I was kinda expecting with a name like that. I have been missing old school stuff like Motley Crue and Def Leopard, I guess others have, too, cause Crue is supposedly coming to play a show here. Odd, huh?
Anyway, Brendan Benson’s band looked really old. Their veins were popping out of their necks and stuff. I asked A about this and he says rock ‘n roll guys just end up weathered looking from an early age. I said ew, and he said the cool thing is they stay the same for a long time: “Look at Mick Jagger.”
Posted by Dipika at 7:06 PM | Comments (0)
July 21, 2005
Bad Fiction
Attacking efficiently was their specialty. When they did, they had zero sense of remorse. The cold, steely edge of their tools of destruction drove them tirelessly to their work.
The hour of doom had come, at last, and the cluster of cells in the soon-to-be-pillaged landscape had borne out the night knowing the fate that awaited them in fear, in loathing and in desperation the way Charles Darnay may have awaited his tribunal.
Areas of the pink, fleshy landscape were soon excavated, as were the toothy places where millions of smaller beings writhed, then caved in to the aggression of the steely metal swords.
Bright, startling lights blinded them, beams ricocheting off shiny surfaces designed, clearly, to aid the objects of destruction in their search for cavities to pry.
Today there were two fillings.
"So we'll see you again on August 17?"
Next time, there would be four.
Posted by Dipika at 6:34 PM | Comments (0)
July 11, 2005
DandA at Confounded
This Thursday, Dipika is part of a group giving readings from Kuhaku, the first book of local independent publisher Chin Music Press. The event, titled "Voices from the Void" is part celebration of the book's publication, part art exhibition with works of Kozyndan and Chin Music's various projects presented. Akira will spin some music from Japan that he writes about in CMP's blog, there will be some junk food from Japan, and it's FREE! So if you are in the area this Thursday, make sure to drop in.
Date: Thursday, July 14
Time: 7 pm
Place: Counfounded Books, 315 E Pine Street (Capitol Hill, Seattle)
Posted by Akira at 5:50 AM | Comments (0)
July 10, 2005
This is Our Youth
Saw this show at the Little Theater up on 19th the other night called "This is Our Youth," written by Kenneth Lonergan and directed by Mark Gallagher.
Gallagher also did "Hedwig and the Angry Inch," which we saw last year and absolutely loved. The humor in this one was kind of similar, like when the characters use sock puppets, do kung fu with hockey sticks or act out silly death scenes in slo-mo.
It was about kids, about 19 to 23, I'd guess, living in New York and doing pot and having no issues with money because they haven't been loosed from the $$$ lines of their parents, who are way successful but also sort of messed up because of it.
So the kids can't truly be independent. Big conflict to them means disagreeing about fashion or whether people's personalities change as they get older. Then death comes into the picture.
Death is big and real, and the main character suddenly gets it that for too long real life stuff has been pushed "off to the side."
The smart, rich kids in this play got no attention growing up, so they turned inwards, retreating further into themselves until surrounded by only darkness.
Then, when they got their first chance, they migrated towards the nearest bright lights.
To their heroes.
Who might just be lame, older versions of themselves.
Who could have been brilliant, but dream of nothing.
Posted by Dipika at 6:25 PM | Comments (0)
May 24, 2005
Is New York obsessed with Toyko?
The craze seems to go on and on. Following the recent report of Murakami becoming the first Japanese New York Times Best Seller, Interview magazine just came out with its "Tokyo issue" and features pop icons from Utada to Kaneshiro, fashion guru Nigo to super architect Ando. It's an incredible mixture and ridiculously superficial skim-over (with a bunch of typographical and other errors), but what's amazing is that they actually made a whole magazine with nothing but Japanese pop culture. They even managed to squeeze in Donald Richie, who lent a kind of academic cred to the whole idea (and was by far the most interesting article).
Is this a good thing? As a native Japanese living in the States, I am somewhat flattered, for sure. But something feels odd. It's like seeing your own brother who is a brilliant cut-up art poet, appearing in Total Request Live with P. Diddy. Like, you know they don't get it, he's up there for a comic relief or something.
Sure, some of the people covered are doing interesting work (Asano, Kaneshiro, Cornelius, Nara). But they are already gaining a strong foothold as international artists. It seems to me that 'being from Japan' has least to do with their successes; they hinge more on the disappearance of the barriers (language and otherwise) between audiences of different cultures and artists that existed before.
Reading the magazine, it was interesting to note that many artists being interviewed seem aware of this -- that their workplace is becoming increasingly borderless and their work and influences, more international -- themselves, whereas the interviewers don't ("would you like to work in Hollywood?" they keep asking).
So, nothing exciting in it per se. But taken as an indication (that things are very fluid these days, and the mainstream media is playing a catchup), it does seem to open up quite a set of possibilities... Torattoria-Sub Pop mashup, anyone?
Posted by Akira at 12:02 AM | Comments (0)
May 6, 2005
music fridays at Chin Music
There has been a bit a of hiatus since my last (well, first) music-related entry. Well, things have been brewing underground, ideas have been crossing overhead, and I am now a published columnist! Chin Music Press, a purveyor of all things beautiful and quirky (they made a "literary object" called Kuhaku, which is available in select bookstores everywhere, and here), and a champion of independent media outlets, has agreed to publish my music musings in their eclectic, often hilarious blog. Titled "Friday Music," the weekly column features a Japanese band/artist and their work, chosen by yours truly on the merits exclusively related to my personal taste.
Right. Big deal. The last thing the world needs is another man's opinion about obscure popular culture commodities (Amazon reviews, anyone?). I know, I know... But just in case you are feeling charitable, or curious, for whatever reasons unfathomable, here's the link to the first story. Enjoy...
Posted by Akira at 4:15 PM | Comments (0)
April 8, 2005
ムービーリビュー： Million Dollar Baby
タイトル: Million Dollar Baby (2004)
鑑賞日時： 2005年 4月 6日 Meridian Sixteen (Downtown multiplex)
主演： Hillary Swank, Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman
監督： Clint Eastwood
なんかまたミリオンのつく映画ですが、日本でも話題になってるアカデミー賞４部門受賞作品です。ちょうどタダ券をもらった映画館で上映中だったので、「ま、見ておくか」くらいのノリで見に行ったのですが、とんでもない！ 打ちのめされた！ やっつけられちゃったよ、僕。
…なんか慌ててますが。とにかくどんどん引き込まれて感情移入しまくっちゃって、エンドクレジットが流れたところでしばらく、席を立つ事も、声を出す事も出来ず、というくらい、入れこんでしまいました。演技、映像、音楽ともに否のつけどころのない出来、と僕が言うまでもないことなんですが。
クリント・「天才」・イーストウッド扮する老いぼれたボクシングトレーナーと、田舎から出てきた貧乏なファイター志望の女の子（といっても３５歳）の心の交流（？）を描く、というと何となく陳腐ですが、安易なサクセスストーリーでも、ロマンスでもなく、ボクシングの厳しくも高貴な世界（と、その先の人生）をきっちり描いて成功しています。登場人物に共感させる場面が多くあるんだけど「お涙頂戴」にもなっていなく。エンディングでも「簡単に泣いてくれるなよ」と言われているような。はい、先生。しっかり考えます。
そのイーストウッド（アカデミー監督賞、主演男優賞ノミネート）を囲んでモーガン・フリーマン（助演男優賞）、ヒラリー・スワンク（主演女優賞）と演技派の役者で固めた人物設定、繊細で含蓄のある台詞まわし、地味だけどじわじわ効いてくる演出、撮影と、要所要所で攻めてくる音楽。ボクシングのシーンも迫力満点。日本でもそんなに知られていない女優だと思うけど、アカデミー賞受賞は今回で二回目というヒラリー・スワンクはこの役のためにジムに通って筋肉をつけ、スタント一切なしで殴り合いのシーンをこなしたんだそうですが、怖いくらいに迫力がありました。でもちゃんとかわいげもある演技で、しっかり感情移入させてくれます。
モーガン・フリーマンは「ショーシャンクの空に」と似て、役がナレーターも兼ねてます。相変わらず渋い演技でいい味を出していて、個人的には一番この役に共感できた。イーストウッド先生も相変わらずダンディーで、この人でないと、と思わせるはまり役。「ミスティック・リバー」で初めて気がついたんだけど、この人が作曲する音楽もまた素敵なんですね。
エンディングは賛否両論だと思うけど、そこまでの過程で、大切にしたくなるシーンがいっぱいあるとおもう。僕はなんといっても「靴下」のシーン。日本での公開は５月末だそうですが、見たら感想聞かせてくださいね。
Posted by Akira at 10:22 AM | Comments (0)
April 4, 2005
ムービーリビュー： A Clockwork Orange
タイトル: A Clockwork Orange (1971)
鑑賞日時： 2005年 4月 2日 Egyptian Theater (Capitol Hill)
主演： Malcolm McDowell, Patrick Magee, etc.
監督： Stanley Kubrick
はい。名作「時計仕掛けのオレンジ」です。Anthony Burgessの原作は大学時代に読んだけど、映画のほうはまだだったので、エジプシャンシアターの恒例週末レイトショーで観てきました。うん、面白かったけど、そろそろ古くさいかな？ という気が。テーマは普遍だし、映像も格好いいんだけど、なんだろう。暴力描写がわざとらしく見えてしまった、のかな？ 何となく入り込めなかった。キューブリックらしい（？）ユーモアはたくさんあって、思わず笑ってしまう場面もかなりあって、楽しめましたけど。
個人的には、テーマ（暴力ってなんだ？ 人が悪いのか、自然な衝動を抑圧したり、社会的な暴力を推奨したり、管理する社会が悪いのか？ 善悪を決めるのは誰？ などなど）をちゃんと考えるなら原作を、出来れば英語で読むのがおすすめ。初めて読んだときに、分からない単語ばっかりの架空のスラング「Nadsat」が読んでいくうちにだんだん分かって行くのが快感だったなあ。エンディングも原作はちょっと救いのある最終章がついてます。対してキューブリックは皮肉やファッションを前に出していて、とにかくシニカル。「それがイイ！」という見方はもちろんあるだろうけど。原作が書かれたのは１９６２年で、この映画は１０年近く後だから、そのへんの時代背景、温度差、みたいなものもあったのかな、などと考えたりもしました。
ちなみにこのエジプシャン、リバイバルを主に毎週末とっかえひっかえいろんなジャンルの映画をレイトショーのみでやってるんだけど、ウチから歩いて１０分なので結構利用価値あり。結局３回くらいしか行っていないけど（眠いので。今回なんて、ちょうど夏時間に切り替わる日だったんで、家に帰り着いてみたら４時になっていた！）。今度「未来世紀ブラジル」もやるらしいので、行ったらまた報告します。
Posted by Akira at 9:24 AM | Comments (0)
March 29, 2005
Japanese Invasion
Seems that Japanese popular music is making a comeback here. Lots of bands from Japan, from obscure to domestically-established, are touring the States (and stopping in Seattle), and making a sizable buzz everywhere. Pop princess (in Japan) Hikaru Utada has an album out here with all-English songs, SXSW apparently had a section called "Japan Nite."
"So is the day approaching when a Japanese rock band makes it big here?" asks music writer Peter Larsen("Japanese bands making a splash overseas", The Orange County Register).
Sure, punk-rock duo Shonen Knife has been on the scene for a long time, and I am not so surprised off-center bands like Guitar Wolf, Electric Eel Shock and Polysics are touring the States. After all, playing music for a living (whether you make money from it or not) appears to be much easier here than anywhere in Japan (outside of Tokyo, of course). However, bands like the Pillows and Puffy Amiyumi (of the anime by the same name) are of the true J-pop lineage, and I am somewhat taken aback that these guys are finding audiences here.
Maybe it's anime's (Japanese cartoon) recent surge into the mainstream, as a Shonen Knife member suggests in the story above. (I have heard office workers in this city citing Cartoon Network shows, with character names like "Mamimi" and "Naota", instead of Conan, HBO or Daily Show from the night before) Maybe it also has something to do with the popularity of Japanese movies, animated or not, in recent years.
Maybe, it's been long coming.
Japanese rock always looked to the West for inspiration. Now that Japan has sunk into depression similarly experienced in the punk-era UK, Japan's ready to infuse its own angst into the highly-polished sugarpop that has been the staple of the karaoke-driven music industry.
But then, you could say the US is now ready to accept J-pops, now that the likes of Jessica Simpsons are dominating the American scene. I am mixing up music and pop culture here, but the nature of this adulation towards Japanese culture makes it very hard to distinguish the two.
In any case, it certainly seems more people are aware of the Japanese popular music scene, many no doubt more aware and hip to the latest developments over there than this old geezer. I do think though that there are many I could teach something about J-pop to. You could be curious about some of the music, but may not have listened to any of it. Maybe you've gone to a show, and are curious to know more about their influence, background and whatnot.
So, I am proposing a series. Sort of an annotated Essential Listening list to better prepare the uninitiated and throw in a bit of contextual backdrop to the already converted.
I will pick an old album by a Japanese band each week, with comments on the surrounding cultural context, musical influences, and my personal flashbacks. I won't pretend that I know everything, but it will at least be a perspective from a guy whe spent his first 17 years there.
Posted by Akira at 11:45 AM | Comments (0)
March 26, 2005
ムービーリビュー： Millions
タイトル: Millions (2004)
鑑賞日時： ２００５年３月２６日 Egyptian Theater (Capitol Hill)
主演： Alex Etel, Lewis McGibbon, James Nesbitt, Daisy Donovan
監督： Danny Boyle
"Trainspotting"、"The Beach"、"28 Days Later"等のダークなヒット作でおなじみのDanny Boyle監督、主役が子供二人のファミリー映画（PG−13）。ということで、どんな映画になるのか、期待と不安半分で見に行ったのですが、面白かった！
場所はキャピトル・ヒルのEgyptian。フリーメイソンの集会場を改築したアートデコ調の由緒正しい劇場で、シアトル国際映画祭のメイン会場にもなっています。インディーシアターなんだけど、どういうわけか僕等はここで子供向け映画を見る事が多い。
ともあれ、ストーリーはスコットランドから北イングランドの郊外住宅地に引っ越してきた一家に、ひょんな事から大金が舞い込んで。。。というお話。説教臭くなりがちな設定を、７歳のデミアン君(Alex Etel)の視点にこだわったビジュアルや会話でうまくユーモアあふれるエンターテイメントに仕立ててます。
新しい家の建つところを兄弟で想像したり、引っ越しで出た段ボールで自分の基地を作ったり、ませた仲間の説明でお金の出所が判明する、という場面でのBoyle監督らしい奇抜な映像。ちょっとシニカルな兄貴との会話や、次から次へと出てくる聖人（デミアンの趣味は聖人トリビア！ なんかアイリッシュっぽい設定ですな）たちの訳の分からない助言に笑いながらお金の価値、寄付の意味などけっこう深く考えさせてくれるストーリー展開。最後まで飽きさせない、でもちゃんとメッセージもあって、久しぶりに見応えのある映画でした。
前に見た、"In America"（社会派監督ジム・シェリダンの自伝的ストーリーで、やっぱり子役が印象的）とか、「隣のトトロ」（なぜ？）なんかもちょっと思いだすような。でもBoyle監督、「子供の無垢な良心」をテーマにして映画を作るような人だとは思わなかった。
Posted by Akira at 11:36 AM | Comments (0)
March 24, 2005
ムービーリビュー： The Wedding Date
タイトル: The Wedding Date (2005)
鑑賞日時： ２００５年３月２３日 Pacific Place 11 (ダウンタウンのショッピングモール内）
主演： Debra Messing, Dermot Mulroney, Jeremy Sheffield
監督： Clare Kilner
というわけで、息抜き（何の？）のラブコメ映画デートしてきました。ついでに映画評論しちゃいます。まあ、デート映画としてはよくできてるんじゃない？というのが結論かな。
あらすじは簡単で、ニューヨークに住んでるシングルガールが、妹の結婚式に出るためにロンドンへ（結婚式のベストマンである元彼氏への腹いせのために、男性エスコートも一緒）。結論はまあ予想がつきますよね。
Debra Messing（よく知らない人だけど、なんかこの役Jennifer Anistonに当て書きしたんじゃ？というくらいよく似てる。役者自身の写真を見るとそんなでもないんだけど）はまあまあかわいいし、Dermot Mulroneyもはまってて良いんじゃないでしょうか。同じくダーモットがおいしい役の「My Best Friend's Wedding」にちょっと雰囲気も似てて、まあカリスマ女優（と、それを食ったゲイの脇役）がいない分インパクトに欠けますが。ディピカは結構気に入っていたみたい。
Clare Kilnerというのがイギリスの監督らしい、ということと、ロンドンロケ、という事もわざわざ見に行った理由だったのだけど、う〜ん、まあ、ピクニックやらカントリーサイドの荘園ホテルやら地元のパブやら、そういう雰囲気はあるんだけどねえ。でもロンドンで育って、Hen Partyで、夜のピカデリーサーカスをリムジンで走り回るか？ あまりにも陳腐だよねえ。
現実味のある人物がいない、とか、いろいろいちゃもんをつけ始めるときりはないけど、１時間半（もっと削って１時間でも良いかも）ちゃんと楽しめて、疑似イギリス式結婚式まで体験できる、という意味でまあ良いのかな。
でも、個人的には同じラブコメだったら先週借りてきてみた「50 First Dates」（2004、Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore）のほうが全然おすすめだなあ、うん。
Posted by Akira at 11:52 AM | Comments (0)