The Social Network
Walking into the theatre with a vague notion that David Fincher’s new Film, The Social Network, was about the creation of Facebook, I was skeptical. How could the making of a website ever be interesting? There’s just too much math.
But what I didn’t know was that the story behind the development of the world’s most powerful social network is only partially about a nerd entering code. Beyond the computer science, it is a complicated tale, full of ethical dilemmas, wavering loyalties, and insights about the often bizarre way institutions function. Few other movies are able to pull off this type of depth, while still allowing the plot to move forward. Parts one and two of Francis Ford Coppola’s Godfather Trilogy come as notable exceptions.
Kerouac’s On The Road Finds its Way Onto Film
Word has it Jack Kerouac’s famed On The Road is making its way onto film. Director Walter Salles and screenwriter Jose Rivera have plotted out the screenplay and the final product is set to be released sometime in 2011. The cast includes Viggo Mortensen (glad to see he’s moving on from Aragorn in LotR), Amy Adams, Kirsten Dunst and Kristen Stewart. I’ve gotta say, I’m interested to see how this all unfolds.
Possibly at Cannes…
::Haley Rheinhart
haley.dustbowl@gmail.com
My Own Private Idaho
dir. Gus Van Sant
Gus Van Sant’s My Own Private Idaho (1991) is something of a rough collage. Constantly shifting styles, the film, at different times, has the feeling of a pseudo-Shakespearian comedy, a familial melodrama, and a classic road tale in the vein of Easy Rider. And to add even more confusion, all of these elements are played out in gay-prostitute underworld of the Pacific Northwest (oh and a little bit in Idaho and Italy too). The film follows the life of Mike (River Phoenix)-an allergic, narcoleptic, and emotionally violent hustler who goes about his business in the slums of Seattle. In these ventures, Mike soon encounters Scott (Keanu Reeves) an old friend and fellow call-boy. From here, the two travel around on many adventures-the purpose of which eventually crystallizes into the search for Mike’s estranged mother.
This longing, on Mike’s part, to finally see mommy again gives the film a place to go, but is far from its most interesting aspect. Instead, the viewer will be drawn to the contradictory world members of the Northwest’s prostitute sub-culture occupy. In many ways the existence of these Hustlers is quite miserable. They sleep on roofs or in doorways, and to survive, must indulge their client’s bizarre fetishes, which Van Sant does not hesitate to display in painful detail. But in another way, the characters of the film’s sub-culture have a vibrant quality that cannot be found in the “legitimate” world their clients occupy. Many wear flamboyant neon jackets with tight jeans and cowboy boots that clearly set them apart from the more conventional sort. Others speak in a vernacular that strangely and cleverly blends hipster slang with Shakespearian English-often giving what would be normally mundane observations a distinctly poetic quality. And all of Idaho’s Hustler characters possess the defiant demeanor-associated with all the proudest counter-cultures-that allows them to say “yeah I’m weird, and fuck you” with every step.
But superficial differences aside, the hustler world that Mike, Scott, and the many others in the film occupy is permeated by a class hierarchy that sharply resembles that of the “normal” world. Throughout the film, Van Sant plays with this irony to an often divesting effect. His ability to make Idaho so strange and yet so familiar is what makes it an engaging film.
Nathan Walker
nwalker01@hamlineuniversity.edu
We Live In Public
written and directed by Ondi Timoner
Who is watching? Why are we watching? How will watching affect us? What does it mean to be constantly watched without privacy? How is the digital age helping or hindering our personal interactions with others?
Ondi Timoner (two-time Sundance Grand Jury award winner) takes us to a truly evocative time in technological history by documenting the polarizing experiences and works of internet visionary, Josh Harris. As the world was in flux over a potential Y2K apocalypse, Josh Harris’ “Quiet: We Live In Public” experiment was in the midst of collapsing. This art exhibit was one of the most invasive looks into the way the human condition functions when exposed to extreme measures of virtual scrutiny through filming. Over 100 artists in a New York warehouse signed away their lives to the control of Josh Harris in this large scale, big brother examination.
We Live in Public (2009) shows how relationships can become dissonant under these types of digital pressures of having an audience view one’s every move. The nature of celebrity relationships comes to mind while watching and why so many can never truly become of anything more than tabloid fodder. As things start to crumble in Harris’ world he finds peace in the bare necessity’s that life has to offer. Timoner’s exploration of ten years of an internet genius is definitely one to witness.
Written by Rachel Summers
rachel.dustbowl@gmail.com
The Wilderness Downtown/Chris Milk/Arcade Fire
Do this right now, you will be incredibly pleased! It features the Arcade Fire jam, “We Used To Wait” and I hear their new album is out of this world too! The film is so innovative, so fresh, and so cool.
http://www.thewildernessdowntown.com/
Written by Rachel Summers
rachel.dustbowl@gmail.com
Taking Woodstock
dir. Ang Lee
It’s all in the details. How will we look back at our youth? I look back to last year in glimmers, but forty years from now that will most likely turn into smog. Over half a million people attended the most celebrated of music festivals, Woodstock 1969. I wonder if they remember this influential festival like it was yesterday. It’s festival season, and in light of some of my closest friends returning from their unforgettable time at Lollapalooza, now is as good of time as any to talk about 2009’s Taking Woodstock, directed by Ang Lee (he’s directed a couple other of my favorites including The Ice Storm and the Academy Award winning Brokeback Mountain).
The film drops the viewer into the life of Elliot Teichberg (Demetri Martin) in rural Bethel, New York, where he is trying to save his family’s sinking motel from foreclosure. As a last resort to help his family out, he decides to put his whole town on the map by inviting the owners of Woodstock Ventures to use his land for their huge music festival that had currently been run out of the original site of Wallkill, NY. Elliot’s difficult relationship with his parents is weaved throughout the 3-day series of events and inevitably helps him come of age. The entire cast really drew me in especially standout performances from Emile Hirsch and Liev Schreiber. Lee’s attention to detail in every scene really made the film feel authentic; from the extras to the vendor stands leading to the festival. Although, the film does have it’s slow moments (where you may need to pause, take a cat nap, and then hit play), it’s shot really beautifully. The character’s that come and go continuously throughout leave the viewer with distinct memories and also propel the film along.
I’d recommend Taking Woodstock to anyone longing for a past that they did live or an imagined past we all wish we could have been a part of.
Written by Rachel Summers
rachel.dustbowl@gmail.com
Art & Copy
And now, another dose of documentary from The Dustbowl!
On average, we see as many as 5,000 advertisements a day, whether we notice what they are or not. Art & Copy, a film by Doug Pray, takes a deeper look into this complex industry that is so often taken for granted and criticized. It details some of the advertising giants that we’ve all heard of, like Volkswagen, Apple, MTV, and Tommy Hilfiger, but also some even bigger giants. The agencies behind these companies, DDB Worldwide, Weiden+Kennedy, and TBWA/Chiat/Day, have been not-s0-secretly shaping our culture for more than half a century…
I appreciated the fresh perspective this film gave on the world of advertising, exploring the work and thought processes behind “I want my MTV!” or “Just do it”. You’ll also get to take a look inside some seriously cool offices. Weiden+Kennedy; totally awesome. They have a giant nest upstairs!
If you’ve ever thought about anything beyond the commercials, posters, and banners of advertisement we see so often, I’d recommend checking this film out on Netflix instant play!
:: Haley Rheinhart
haley.dustbowl@gmail.com
Phasma Ex Machina
Check out this independent (and local) film from director, Matt Osterman… I’m pretty intrigued.
Phasma Ex Machina is Latin for “ghost from the machine”
— Haley Rheinhart —
haley.dustbowl@gmail.com
Mean Creek
"If you could snap your fingers right now and he would drop dead in his tracks, would you do it?"
writer/dir. Jacob Aaron Estes
What do a video camera, a creek, and a small town have in common? These are three main components of 2004’s turbulent breakout film, Mean Creek (2004). With the coming-of-age adventure to the woods and vaguely reminiscent youth characters, Mean Creek is our generation’s Stand by Me (1986). When Sam (Rory Culkin) gets to his breaking point he confesses to his older brother, Rocky (Trevor Morgan) about being pushed around everyday by the class bully, George (Josh Peck). The brothers along with friends Marty (Scott Mechlowicz) and Clyde (Ryan Kelly) plot the ultimate payback by wrangling George into a fake birthday party boating trip to give him a taste of his own medicine.
Certain elements of this film contribute to its greatness including the cinematography, the soundtrack, and the outstanding performances from the young actors in the film. This is not just another teen movie, with eyes wide open the film cannonballs into the deep end, unabashedly addressing teen issues with truth and realism. It’s a must see.
(ASIDE: You’ve probably seen a few of them back in the day on Disney Channel or Nickelodeon. Trevor Morgan starred in Disney Channel Original Movie, Genius. Carly Schroeder was on “Lizzie McGuire,” and Josh Peck was a part of the duo-comedy in “Drake and Josh”).
Written by Rachel Summers
rachel.dustbowl@gmail.com
Winter Passing
dir. Adam Rapp
It seems directors like to keep actress Zooey Deschanel paired up with leading men of her past. Most recently it was with Joseph Gordon-Levitt in 500 days of Summer and before that they worked together on 2001’s Manic. But the first time this happened was with actor Will Ferrell, where they starred on screen in the off-beat Christmas comedy Elf in 2003. Ferrell and Deschanel were back together again when they teamed up for their second go-round in 2005’s Winter Passing.
Winter Passing is a story of a father-daughter relationship that has fallen by the wayside and this age-old concept of detachment and reconnection isn’t a new one but it was really enjoyable how writer/director Adam Rapp portrayed it. Particularly in “Reese Holdin’s” (Zooey Deschanel) case she is at a broken, hopeless point in life where cocaine and meaningless sex help keep her warm at night (these dark and despondent roles seem to fit Deschanel so well), but when a publisher offers Reese financial incentive to retrieve some longed after letters between her two renowned writer parents she decides to go back home. There, she finds a dilapidated home and father, who has surrounded himself by some new family members. The story focuses on Reese’s struggle to rekindle her relationship with her father.
The cast of Winter Passing is one of great talent from a short appearance by Deirdre O’Connell who also starred in some of my favorites films, Dan Harris’ 2004 Imaginary Heroes and Charlie Kaufman’s 2008 Synecdoche, New York ( quick aside: he also wrote Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind!). Ed Harris also gets to play a dingy old man so that’s always a good time and Will Ferrell’s strange comedy shines through in the film as well.
The quality of this trailer isn’t all that great but the official trailer is just too cheesy.
Written by Rachel Summers
rachel.dustbowl@gmail.com
Hiroshima Mon Amour
Hiroshima Mon Amour (1959) begins like a documentary. Just after the opening credits, the viewer is taken along on a crisp montage consisting of a mixture of images depicting the bomb’s grisly aftermath, as well as shots of the various mechanisms-monuments and museums-the city relies on to remember the event. Patched over director Alain Resnais’ camera is a conversation between the films two main characters-French actress Elle (Emmanuelle Riva), and Japanese Architect Lui (Eiji Okada). Though, their tones are soft and friendly, the pair are disagreeing on a major point. “I saw everything [in Hiroshima]” claims Elle, describing Resnais’ scenes of vacant hospital patients, enraged protesters, and eerie museum exhibits. “You saw nothing in Hiroshima” counters Lui-offering no evidence for his assertion, but repeating it adamantly.
This discussion over who remembers correctly serves nicely to set up one of Resnais’ main purposes in the film- to consider how memory functions in our lives. In particular he seems interested in how recollections ebb and flow, for a time slipping into the depths of our subconscious- only to be retrieved when least expected in an experience that is quite jarring for the individual, but also those surrounding them.
Resnais’ use of Hiroshima’s plot to develop this question is a classic example an “essay film”- a concept developed by him and other members of the 1960’s French New Wave. Their idea was to use the Cinema as a means of argument, a medium for elaborating on cataclysmic clashes of culture that were occurring during their time.
And in the case of Hiroshima, these conflicts are present as its characters-both of whom are married- navigate their way through a passionate romance that takes place in a Hiroshima that has been reborn into a bustling cluster of cabaret’s and coffee joints. During this exchange the two characters find themselves separated in terms of sex, race, nationality, and profession. But to Resnais’ credit, these divisions do not dominate the film. Instead, he quietly weaves them into his broader concerns about memory, which compels the viewer to think about the films as a whole, instead of being distracted by awkward points of tension. This type of seamlessness really makes the film a real treat.
Nathan Walker
nwalker02@hamline.edu
Reds
The rather black and white narrative-pitting American good against Soviet evil- that many people in this country assign to the Cold War tends to block out a much more complicated and accurate version of American history that includes people sympathetic to the Soviet cause. Reds, directed by Warren Beatty and released in 1981, sets out to debunk this oversimplification.
The story-based on the life of journalist Jack Reed (played by Beatty) – begins in the energetic, but largely abstract world of the American counterculture that existed in the 1910’s. Reed, a prominent fixture within this social scene, is a talented journalist whose Marxist sympathies do just enough to prevent him from enjoying the comforts of a successful career at a mainstream publication. Instead of becoming a bonafide member of the journalistic establishment, he floats in between two worlds, one occupied by irregular and fiery radicals debating how to bring about a worker’s revolution, and another comprised of well tailored socialites-many prominent editors- of who mostly have lukewarm liberal views.
But then-in 1917- revolution strikes in Russia and Reed-along with his journalist wife Louise Bryant (Diane Keaton at her very best)- through a combination of skill and circumstance find themselves embroiled in a concrete application of the beliefs they had spent so much time arguing over and drinking to. As the revolution progresses, they can barely write fast enough to record its swirl of events that took place during Russia in that fateful year.
Though it is solidly shot- with convincing period costumes and props- the film’s real strength lies in its screenplay-which Beatty co-wrote with Trevor Griffiths. Both writers provide an incredibly complex portrait of both Reed, but also the American leftist movement-comprised of a cacophony of intriguing characters including anarchist Emma Goldman (Maureen Stapleton) and playwright Eugene O’Neil (Jack Nicholson), whose tendencies toward combat and copulation make for all sorts of drama.
And by the closing credits- this epic-three hour plus narrative- remains remarkably fresh- revealing a slew of interesting ideas relating to the challenges faced by Reed in balancing political and personal life, as well as those of the American communist movement in responding to the Bolshevik Revolt. This type of complexity makes both disks well worth it.
Nathan Walker
nwalker01@hamline.edu
Beautiful Losers
Dir. Aaron Rose
“It was like a synapse happened or something connected and it changed everything” -Jo Jackson
Last semester a rad group of students and myself got the chance to dive into the Riot Grrrl feminist art movement of the early 1990s for a finals project. Resulting from the snapshot, a whole do-it-yourself (DIY) culture was exposed to us. A generation of artists came from this era as well that are completely worth the 90 minute documentary about their extraordinary impact on the art world in Aaron Rose’s 2008 film, Beautiful Losers.
The film trails 14 artists that have continued to make leaps and strides to rip, mold, and reshape our visual culture. The typical use of a plain canvas was thrown out the window as the birth of spray can art (or graffiti art) helped heed the exploration of innovative approaches to get new audiences to see their work. Art landed on shoes, sidewalks, skateboards, t-shirts, stickers, cars, and buildings. Artist, Shepard Fairey weighed in on commercial art, “I mean there’s a way to be The Beatles, to have the smartest guy in the room and the dumbest guy in the room digging what you’re doing.”
Hearing artists speak out about their work and how it does or doesn’t fit in with commercialism along with the struggle between staying true to their vision and not selling out was a large theme in film. Some artists were able to balance both worlds, Geoff McFetridge shared his experience in designing for corporate clients, “I’m going to do something that I think is awesome, instead of trying to like please something that they are saying.” A lot of these “beautiful losers” were some of the firsts to reap the benefits of putting their art on items that were to be commercialized and marketed to the masses. Filmmaker, Mike Mills commented on how his art success was able to stomp the haters that didn’t support him, “It was like getting back at all the tan blonde motherfuckers who wouldn’t talk to me.”
Other artists didn’t want any part of the commercial side of the industry and used political undertones to push themselves into making a socially conscious piece of art. Barry McGee was one of those artists on the other side of the commercial spectrum, “The best venue is still always the street…I’m weary of this idea that you have to get bigger and more exposure and bigger audience. It’s all bullshit to me. What’s so great about that, you know? Everyone’s sister and uncle wearing a Keith Herring t-shirt. Wow, this is great, what a great accomplishment, you know?”
This group of “beautiful losers” were doing such different things that investors flew them to Tokyo, Japan to make as much art on anything and everything they could get their hands on to mass market these individuals’ art. This excursion was caught in Cheryl Dunn’s film, Creative Life Store. Beautiful Losers was one of the most visually pleasing films that opened up a pandora’s box of culture and art that I had never really heard of or thought about. This film shouts to the youth subculture and brings to light a group of people that are the makers of what we see in everyday popular culture.
Written by Rachel Summers
rachel.dustbowl@gmail.com
Listening to: Bratmobile’s Ladies, Women and Children and John Legend’s Get Lifted.
How To Be
As you may have put together on your own, we here at The Dustbowl generally stay away from doing all out negative reviews of things, keeping the site on the more positive side. But after seeing How To Be, starring Robert Pattinson, I couldn’t resist posting a review/warning for anyone even considering watching this movie.
Cutting to the chase- don’t even bother.
Aside from being virtually plot-less, How To Be lacks flavor, clarity and good acting. The only reason you might want to watch this movie would be if your looking for a good laugh with a friend or two. I watched it with a friend of mine yesterday, and yes, we did find ourselves laughing hysterically at times (mostly due to R-Pat‘s disheveled mane and the crypt keeper of a self-help doctor), but when the movie still wasn’t over after 45 minutes, we couldn’t stand it anymore and opted for something/anything else.
The “plot” is as follows (as far as I could tell): Arthur (Robert Pattinson) is a troubled teen who longs for a better relationship with his workaholic parents. Naturally, to solve his problems he heads to the self help section of the local book store and picks up a copy of Dr. Levi Ellington’s latest book . Taking things even further, Arthur spends his life savings of $5,000 pounds to fly the Canadian author/therapist to England so he can stay in Arthur’s home and complete an intensive therapy session. This is about where things started getting really strange and I began to lose any smidge of interest that I initially had.
Did I mention that Arthur is also a tragic musician? Of course he is.
Just in case you wanted a little higher dosage of scraggly haired British teenagers, Art’s friends Nikki and Ronnie are thrown into the mix.
Don’t worry guys, there’s a soundtrack featuring some killer tracks by Rob himself.
Do yourself a favor and don’t make the mistake of putting this on your Netflix instant queue like I did…thanks.
— Haley Rheinhart —
haley.dustbowl@gmail.com
Objectified
Drive Well, Sleep Carefully– a documentary style tour diary of Death Cab for Cutie- has been a favorite film of mine for a while.
This summer, I found a film entitled Helvetica– an intriguing documentary entirely about the typeface and it’s impact on the design world.
It wasn’t until just moments ago that I figured out these two great pieces of film were directed by the same person, Gary Hustwit.
Anyway, Hustwit has recently completed a new film by the name of Objectified about the world of design. It will be showing on PBS this Tuesday November 24th. Click here for more info.
p.s. I have a soft spot in my heart for documentary film, can you tell?
p.p.s. Apologies for the extremely long hiatus. Our train of thought temporarily derailed.
— Haley Rheinhart —
haley.dustbowl@gmail.com
Where the Wild Things Are
Leave your to-do lists, worries and all other “grown-up” anxieties at the door when you enter the theater to view October’s highly anticipated film, Where the Wild Things Are. Director Spike Jonze, alongside a talented cast and crew, have successfully brought to life the tale of Maurice Sendak’s classic picture book to the big screen.
The story follows Max, a rambunctious little boy who disengages in the troubles of his life by adventuring to far off lands unknown to this world. After a tiff at the dinner table with his mother, Max runs away from home and journeys to a land of self discovery where he befriends a wild bunch of characters. In hopes that Max can mend their torn community, the ‘Wild Things’ crown him as their King. But is Max fit to be the king of the ‘Wild Things’ when he is but a boy himself?
In collaboration with Sendak, Jonze was able to put a modern spin on the story without detaching from the original essence of the book. In their attempts to masterfully recreate the book, a mix of computer graphics and puppetry were used to bring the monsters and their world to life. Costume designer, Casey Storm, hit a home run with the outfits used in the film; Max’s dirty wolf suit contrasts remarkably well against the ‘Wild Things’ earth tone motif. The combination of storyline, cinematography, and costumes (not to mention the talents of the cast itself) made the world of the ‘Wild Things’ nothing short of phenomenal.
As a viewer of the film and a devote lover of the book, I found that Spike Jonze beautifully brought the story to life on the big screen. Although no one likes to face the reality and responsibility of growing up, we have to at some point. Where the Wild Things Are is a retreat from the everyday hustle and bustle world we live in and allows us a moment to sit back, relax, and relive a piece of our childhood.
-Candice M. Grimm
cgrimm01@hamline.edu
Leave your to-do lists, worries and all other “grown-up” anxieties at the door when you enter the theater to view October’s highly anticipated film, Where the Wild Things Are. Director Spike Jonze, alongside a talented cast and crew, have successfully brought to life the tale of Maurice Sendak’s classic picture book to the big screen.
The story follows Max, a rambunctious little boy who disengages in the troubles of his life by adventuring to far of lands unknown to this world. After a tiff at the dinner table with his mother blows up, Max runs away from home and journeys to a land of self discovery where he befriends a wild bunch of characters. In hopes that Max can mend their torn community, the ‘Wild Things’ crown him as their King. But is Max fit to be the king of the ‘Wild Things’ when he is but a boy himself?
In collaboration with Sendak, Jonze was able to put a modern spin on the story without detaching from the original essence of the book. In their attempts to masterfully recreate the book, a mix of computer graphics and puppetry were used to bring the monsters and their world to life. Costume designer Casey Storm hit a home run with the outfits used in the film; Max’s dirty wolf suit contrasts remarkably well against the ‘Wild Things’ earth tone motif. The combination of storyline, cinematography, and costumes (not to mention the talents of the cast itself,) made the world of the ‘Wild Things’ nothing short of phenomenal.
As a viewer of the film and a devote lover of the book, I found that Spike Jonze beautifully brought the story to life on the big screen. Although no one likes to face the reality and responsibility of growing up, we have to at some point. Where the Wild Things Are is a retreat from the everyday hustle and bustle world we live in and allows us a moment to sit back, relax, and relive a piece of our childhood.
-Candice M. Grimm
Cgrimm01@hamline.edu
Looking for a Halloween Scare? Try Shrooms
Getting closer to Halloween we all seem to have the urge to watch a good scary movie. With perks such as a talking cow, a scary castration, and minimal gore, I can safely say that Shrooms was a fun (and surprisingly good) short horror film that is sure to scare.
The film begins with a group of college age adventurers heading to Ireland to experiment with the island’s famed magic mushrooms. However, discord within the group and the telling of a disturbing “true” story turn the kids’ fungus induced trips into visions of horror and death. But what parts of these visions are real and what is simply drug-induced paranoia? With a surprising twist ending, Shrooms is sure to make you jump and squirm – and next time, think twice before eating any strange fungi.
Katie M. Gaulke
gaulkek@uwec.edu
Word Wars
After a failed attempt at watching The Price of Milk, a bizarre New Zealand romantic comedy starring Karl Urban (aka Eomer from The Two Towers), I moved on to something totally opposite on the spectrum.
I came across Word Wars on Netflix’s instant watch this past summer and finally got around to watching it last night. Take an in-depth look into the world of competitive Scrabble with this 2004 documentary as it follows four hardcore Scrabblers on their way to a national tournament with a grand prize of $25,000. I especially liked the story of Marlon, a “happily poor,” tough guy from Baltimore, with a fiery temper when it comes down to unscrambling those little brown tiles.
Most of these guys lived for Scrabble and only Scrabble, but what they could all do with seven letters made my head spin. Little did I know such a world existed and honestly, I found myself uttering a bit of awkward laughter at the events unfolding. See for yourself.
— Haley Rheinhart —
haley.dustbowl@gmail.com
Nobody
One of my favorite aspects of the film was the fact that it was the Twin Cities. What I mean by that is that so much of it is really and truly local. We get to see Porky’s, the Minneapolis skyline via lake Calhoun, glimpses of Uptown, and of course, a good chunk of filming happens at MCAD. Minnesota native Josh Hartnett, being the executive producer for the film, also made it to the premiere along with Guster frontman, Ryan Miller, who composed an appropriately indie soundtrack for the film. City Pages snapped some shots (a lot better than any I got…) of the premiere after-party.
It’s a rare night when you find a world film premiere in the heart of Minneapolis. And, who knows, this could be the first of more to come. (Also out this past weekend was the Coen Bros. latest, A Serious Man. I haven’t seen it yet, but it’s on my to-do list.)
Nobody opened to the general public at block E last Friday and is going to continue to play as long it’s supported. So, stop by and see what Nobody has to offer.
–Haley Rheinhart —
haley.dustbowl@gmail.com
She’s Gotta Have It
This summer Spike Lee found himself in a familiar place: the news headlines. The 20th anniversary for the release of his masterwork Do the Right Thing fell in August, and this resulted in a steady stream of reminiscence about all the controversy the film caused. All this talk about Thing is fine, but sometimes the film tends to overshadow the rest of Lee’s work. Though his career has been sporadic, Lee has put out a number of other thoughtful movies, including his debut project She’s Gotta Have It.
Like Thing, Have it is set in Lee’s home neighborhood of Bed-Stuy Brooklyn, but this time he chooses to frame the community in an entirely different manner. Instead of being bathed in numerous vibrant colors-as Thing was–Lee places his characters in an environment that is, with one showy exception, starkly black and white. Such an absence of color, along with Lee’s tendency toward longer shots interspersed with frenetic editing, causes Have It to feel a bit like the films of the 1960’s French New Wave; his scenes of Bed-Stuy’s streets and stoops contain especially strong echoes of the Parisian neighborhoods where Jean Luc Godard shot Breathless, considered to be one of the most important New Wave films.
Yet instead of being about conflicted artisans or intellectuals, a trade mark of the hallowed French school, Lee’s screenplay in Have It encompasses a broad range of characters. At its center is Nola Darling (Tracy Camilla Johns), an advertising professional who absurdly carries on relationships with three different men-all of whom are aware that she is unfaithful. The three lovers, Mars Blackmon (Spike Lee), Greer Childs (John Canada Terrell), and Jamie Overstreet (Tommy Redmond Hicks), spend the film trying to convince Darling to ditch her other two partners, but also serve as an allegorical cross section of the Black Male community. Childs, a career obsessed model with a white slicked back hair style, is a rabid assimilationist. Blackmon, marked by goofy glasses and mismatched outfits worn by Buggin Out in Thing, wanders Brooklyn as a rebellious hustler. And Overstreet, who sticks to a collared shirt and jeans, serves as Lee’s Black everyman.
By constructing this foil, Lee allows viewers to think about a host of issues regarding race, gender, and sexuality in America, but while Have it is intellectually provocative it tends be bland in places. Lee attempts to liven the film with various injections of irony, but these are quashed by his overuse of monologues and the generally dispassionate delivery of Have Its cast.
It’s interesting cinema, but don’t expect to be on the edge of your seat.
Nathan Walker
nwalker01@hamline.edu
Jane Campion’s Bright Star
Having read a chunk John Keats’ poetry my senior year of high school and watched Jane Campion’s The Piano last year for a film course, I thought you should know about this synthesis of the two. Bright Star is set to hit limited theatres on September 18th this year.
— Haley Rheinhart —
haley.dustbowl@gmail.com
post scriptum: It’s true, August has been a slow month for us here at The Dustbowl, but no worries. We will be back up an running regularly within the month. Look forward to many more music, film, and Skyway Sessions posts to come! Thanks always for reading.
-The Dustbowl
Julie & Julia
dir. Nora Ephron
After just seeing Julie & Julia, my stomach is still grumbling. The movie, based on “two true stories”, kept me smiling for most of the two hours it spans, probably due to the charisma and life Meryl Streep always seems to bring to the screen. (What can I say? I’m a fan)
Adapted from (the real-life) Julie Powell’s book Julie & Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously, the film takes on two paths. One follows the legendary Julia Child (Streep) through the development of her cooking career in France during the late 1940’s/early 1950’s and the other Julie Powell (Amy Adams) over the course of her year blogging and cooking her way through Julia Child’s cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking.
A perfect combination, nothing cures a boring day like good food and a good movie.
— Haley Rheinhart —
haley.dustbowl@gmail.com
Waltz With Bashir
Ari Folman, the Israeli director and animator, was a member of his country’s army during one of its darker periods. He served during the Lebanon war of the early 1980’s, when Israeli forces aided their Lebanese Christian allies in massacring hundreds, if not thousands of Palestinians living in the Sabra and Shatila Refugee camps. Yet surprisingly, the event was not imprinted in Folman’s memory; he got out of the army and went on with his professional life without really giving his experience in Lebanon much thought. Then, more than twenty years removed from his military service, he began having a recurring flashback to the day of the killings. The memory was particularly haunting because it was the only thing about the Lebanon war Folman could remember; besides it, his recollections on the experience were completely blank. Jarred by the idea that he could forget most of what happened in such a significant event, Folman began interviewing some of his old comrades, as well as a couple of mental health experts, with the hope of jogging his own recollections. He describes this process in his most recent film Waltz With Bashir (2008).
Documentary, in the sense of its standard definition, is not an accurate label for Bashir. In a number of ways, Folman uses the film to challenge the general idea of what a non-fiction feature should look like. Such rebellion comes most forcefully in the director’s almost exclusive use of animation. Aside from a few shots at Bashir’s end, all of its scenes originated on a cartoonists’ drawing board. This structure allows the Folman to frequently defy chemistry by manipulating the natural color of objects. Many times in Bashir, the Lebanon portrayed becomes a gloomy mixture of unsettling blacks, blues, yellows, and grays, providing the viewer with an often psychedelic experience.
Along with these technical feats, Folman also uses Bashir to prove his is a gifted narrator. Following a multi-layered narrative-covering both the war experience and psychology of memory- the film tracks an animated Folman as he travels from interview to interview. This decision, on the part of the director, to include himself as an on-screen character gives Bashir a sense of fluidity- usually only found in fiction, and Folman’s active presence further provides chances for his role as interviewer to be reversed. The ex-soldiers and mental health experts he talks with often ask him questions- allowing genuine dialogue to take place.
This type of thoughtful conversation, along with Bashir’s stunning animation, makes the film well worth watching.
Nathan Walker
(500) Days of Summer/ She and Him
Here is just a cute little music video set to the song “Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?” by She and Him. Directed by Marc Webb, starring Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
Via USA Today.
Written by Rachel Summers
rachel.dustbowl@gmail.com
The Dustbowl 