Post FIT: George Washington

Dir. David Gordon Green
Star. Paul Schneider, Donald Holden

"down this twisted road, please watch over my soul and lift me up so gently so as not to touch the ground"

I have a really hard time defining the kind of movie David Gordon Green's debut film "George Washington" is. It's a still of frozen time, it's a voyeuristic look at the everyday lives of seemingly real people, it seems unscripted, everything about it just breaths and bleeds the grim and joyous beauty, reality and emotions of life.

The film follows the lives of several kids growing up in an economically depressed town in North Carolina. The kids experiences run the gamut of emotional touchstones most don't experience until they've lived their whole life through. They are hardened individuals, they are caring, they are brutally honest. The dialogue can be wonky, but endearing, and altogether incredibly poetic.

The only other filmmaker I can think of whose made films like this is Terrance Mallick, while watching "George Washington" I get the same chills I get while watching "Badlands," "The Thin Red Line" or "Days of Heaven." The two film makers have the uncanny ability to assault your senses while watching their films, your are immersed and mesmerized. I don't think there are many films or filmmakers who can make life and death blend so seamlessly into such a singularly beautiful fluid motion. This is definitely creeped its way into my all time favorites. Looking at Gordon Green's filmography and the direction its headed (ok I liked Pineapple Express quite a bit, but...), I doubt he'll come near to touching this level of work again.

ICP, you just blew my fucking mind

Fucking magnets, fucking pelicans and fucking rainbows...all pondered here by ICP

Can I haz some runz insteadz?

Come on, are we really resorting to things like this already?

Cheezburger Night
Twins vs. Mariners
Thursday, June 3, 2010 - 7:10 p.m.

It's Cheezburger Night with the Seattle Mariners on Thursday, June 3! Bring your family and friends to join in all the fun. We will have some awesome pre-game festivities, and if you buy your tickets through this special Cheezburger offer, you'll get a FREE Happy Cat Bobblehead (while supplies last)*. See you all there!

• DEADLINE TO PURCHASE: Wednesday, June 2 at NOON.
• Game Date: Thursday, June 3, 2010 - 7:10 p.m.
• Pricing:
  
  
  • $16 View Reserved (normally $20)
• Highlights
  
  
  • Join us pre-game for Happy Cat Hour in the Bullpen Landing (see map) with Chief Cheezburger, Ben Huh!
  • Receive a free bobblehead while supplies last with your special Cheezburger Night ticket!

*Bobbleheads will be distributed at the event starting at 5:10 p.m

 At least at the game this Friday I'll bestowed with the first of 3 Griffey Bobble heads. Sigh.

Whoops

An "injured" Wayne Rooney tries to sneak a pint while his Man U squad is taking on, and getting defeated, by Chelsea. One smooth fella.



Aside from that funny little bit, I didn't buy the damn Tiny Tim crutches they had Rooney hobbling around in and posing for the media in all week. Sure enough he makes a surprise recovery for the Bayern Munich Champions League match. BS head games I say.

Public Enemy to play Sasquatch Sunday. I approve.

In a seemingly unfair trade off, Public Enemy have swapped days with Nada Surf. This is going to be my return to Sasquatch after a 2 year absence, shit has got too pricey and the bands have been too spread out for my liking. I made the executive decision to go Sunday this year solely for the Pavement reunion, and LCD Soundsystem, this is now just an added treat. I've seen them before, right before Flavor Flav hit a new wave of popularity with the Surreal Life. While I enjoyed the show (and Nas, who followed) I wasn't as well versed in their ways at the time, and couldn't really appreciate it all that much. Having a bit of an aged taste for them now, it is going to be one hell of a show.

Post F.I.T. Part 2: Caché (2005)

Caché
Dir. Michael Haneke
Star. Daniel Autuil, Juliette Binoche

I think it's safe to say that no single scene in a film has caught me off guard and shocked me as much as the singular act of violence that arises in Michael Haneke's Caché. Haneke is a master of on-screen violence, not the glorifying of it for pure shock value, but rather showing how violence effects people in a very real and unnerving, unsettling light. His 1997 film Funny Games, feels a bit dated to me when I watched it last, but with Caché Haneke ups the ante not with more violence, but artfully packing a hay-maker with one single scene.

The uneasiness of the build to the scene is what makes it so effective. Georges and Anne receive countless eerie video tapes on their door step, the tapes contain footage from a camera that is fixated on the exterior of their home. The film is very quiet, very dialogue driven, and almost voyeuristic. As the tapes keep arriving, sometimes accompanied by strange drawings, tensions build, and the events begin to put a strain on the family's life. That's about as far as i'll go, as I don't want to ruin anything. But as I said, "the scene" made me cringe, reach for a pillow and plant it firmly over my face. The fact that it happens about half way through the film, and aftermath unfolds before you makes it that much more of a trip.

I'm a horror film fan, I occasionally enjoy rather morbid shit, and am rarely weirded or gross out by much. So when something comes along that can truly give me chills, I hold it in fairly high regard. The only thing that might come close to this is Gaspar Noé's Irreversible, and it's initial club scene, and absurdly graphic rape scene, both of which made me turn my head in disgust. While Noé's film is yes, boldy graphic, I feel like its borderline done solely for pure shock. Haneke takes violence, gets under your skin, and makes you feel, very effectively, what witnessing such as shocking act would feel like and how deeply leave an imprint on your life. Its one of those movies that I have a hard time recommending to people for these reasons, but I think its an important film that addresses how we oft use violence in film as a thing of entertainment, and how oh so wrong that notion is.

Gene Clark - 1975

I have a soft spot for just about everyone and everything spawned from seminal 60's icons The Byrds. From David Crosby, to Gram Parsons, and the Flying Burrito Brothers, the rawkus country rock that was produced by these musicians is a guilty pleasure of mine. I blame my father.** Recently I obtained a copy of Gene Clark's (Byrds main songwriter 64' - 66') 1971 solo outing "White Light." The songs are soulful and subtle, like his laid back cover of Dylan and The Band's grandiose "Tears of Rage."

The highlight for me though is this track entitled "1975." Enjoy.

**My father also really likes Jethro Tull, a taste I did not inherit. I bring this up because when I came home from work today he had music blasting from his office. Upon my inquiry as to what the hell he was doing he held up his Rainier Tall Boy (His love hate relationship with the Rainier Company is a story for another day) and said "Drinking beer and listening to Tull!" Needless to say, I could start another blog solely about his antics. They do have some really cool vinyl packaging though: