Fun with Stephanie and crew

I had an excellent time hanging out and helping out a bit with Stephanie Graham's So This One Guy... video story project. Now I know why her project looks so professional: she films at DePaul University's lot at Cinespace, which also houses Hollywood-level shows.

When I arrived in the studio space, they had just recorded a segment and were taking a break.

Then I had my first-ever experience of being a stand-in while they adjusted the lighting and camera. That's super-pro cinematographer Pete Biagi, who's worked on major films and commercials.

At one point, Stephanie and the crew checked the setup in the monitor.

Here's Kaira sharing her story (I was the stand-in for that scene too).

I don't know why this area (pretty much North Lawndale) is considered the West Side, because if you look at a map, it seems south as well. Why isn't it called the Southwest Side, or at least Near Southwest Side? Well, from my perspective, it's west but also south, so I'm categorizing it accordingly, and saying, once again, that the South Side (and West Side) are under-appreciated. Just one of the many gems that people can discover if they choose to look beyond the grim headlines in those areas.

If you like David Bowie, see this exhibition

Even though I live near the Museum of Contemporary Art and like David Bowie's music, I wasn't very interested in going to the exhibition until I got an email offering a slight discount (because I'd already bought a ticket for someone else). It was worth the price! I wasn't expecting much because when I'd seen other exhibitions of famous people, there weren't many artifacts, and the presentations didn't seem so innovative. A good example of an underwhelming and disappointing exhibition was about Pelé, which I saw in Brazil. Even though I don't care much about soccer, I thought there would be more information and items to look at that covered his life and career. What I remember most was how it seemed to be a commercial for Coke. Maybe I'm not remembering accurately, but the Coke logo and red color seemed to dominate the exhibition. So I thought the "David Bowie Is" show would be a bunch of hollow hype. But it was way more!

The most impressive aspect of the exhibit was how they creatively used multimedia to show his performances, influences, and recollections. There were also numerous documents, including handwritten lyrics, historical artifacts, and sketches. Plus, there were several outfits displayed that he'd used throughout his career, along with explanations of the designers and inspirations (such as Kansai Yamamoto using concepts from 19th century Japanese theater). When I bought the tickets, the guy said that it would take 1.5 hours to get through the whole show. But I spent about 4 hours there, and would have stayed longer if the museum didn't have to close. It's best to go through it twice to fully get the impact of all the visuals and to listen to the audio that enhances some of the installations. If you're into his music, you'll hear many songs in your headphones as you pass by TVs and through rooms, and in the final room, you can see various performances from over the years. This is a room worth settling in to for a while because it also has his outfits that are illuminated between the sets. I even watched all of his film clips. Seriously, it's a vibrant show that effectively showcases his creativity over years.

Time is running out--the exhibition is only until January 4, and Chicago is the only venue in the United States! If you don't live in Chicago, it's worth the trip, because you'll also get to see the city all lit up for the holidays. I didn't intend on even blogging about the show, but it was so impressive, I really think Bowie fans should see it. (I took all the pictures below: prepping the poster, opening night, and how the poster looked on the museum's wall.)

The Paul Williams "documentary" isn't

I was talking to a friend yesterday, who told me how wonderful the film Paul Williams is Still Alive was. He had gone to the Chicago premiere at the Gene Siskel Film Center on Saturday, where Paul Williams gave a post-movie talk. I told him that I don't usually see films because many don't seem worth the money, but he insisted that this film was great and showed what an interesting and strong person Paul Williams is. Then he proceeded to tell me a lot about the film, and I assumed that what he shared was just part of it. Unfortunately, there wasn't much else to discover once I got to the theater.

The guy who made the film is a professional, but he's either a bad interviewer, or Paul Williams doesn't have much to say. There wasn't much revealed about Williams, though there was a lot of footage that sparked nostalgia and some chuckles. Basically, what we learn is what you can find in a Google search: Paul Williams was an addict and has been sober for 20 years. What the filmmaker, Stephen Kessler, made clear was that Williams is happier now than when he was incredibly successful and famous, but seriously, there's not that much else to the movie. There isn't even anything inspirational that will help others in their quest for meaning and significance from a guy who had it all but is happier now. Kessler didn't try to delve into the process of Williams' transformation from someone who was desperate for attention, money, and fame, destroyed it through addiction, and now is satisfied. It's just a shallow portrayal of an interesting man.

I also fault Kessler for not asking good questions and not bothering to find out what Williams did in all those years between being a big celebrity to being a slight one. He mentions that he was a counselor for addicts, but what else? Also, I didn't find out about Williams' motivations or thoughts about his life and about fame. At one point, Kessler asked him why he bothered to get married when he partied so much. Williams started to answer, but then said he didn't want to talk about it. If Kessler was a good interviewer, he'd ask a question a different way, or try to get some answer out of him. Another example of his weak interviewing skills is when he asked a question like (not the exact wording): "How did you go from being a writer to being on the Gong Show?". Williams said he didn't like the tone of the question, and wouldn't answer it. Again, a good interviewer would rephrase the question because what I want to know, and probably a lot of people want to know, is why he was all over the place, in all kinds of TV shows, movies, etc. Why wasn't he more discerning about choosing projects?

At one point, Williams says that his dad died in a drunken car crash when he was 13, and he ended up living with an aunt. Then later on, Kessler shows some footage of Williams in a TV interview, where he talks about the same thing, sans the aunt part. Why would he include TV footage that's redundant of what Williams revealed in the film? With all the footage and access to Williams that he had, he didn't seem to care about delving deeper into such a loss and change of lifestyle when he was so young. How did he feel about his mom and brother who lived with her? How does he feel about the entertainment business today? How did he get his big break? How does he feel about his success, in spite of the fact that he didn't look like the Hollywood prototype? There are many other questions I had when I walked out of the theater, dissatisfied with the superficial approach that Kessler took. One of the things that we learn when we get older is to be reflective and share what we've learned. Kessler's treatment of Williams doesn't show that, or maybe Williams is shallow. Who knows because I couldn't figure out if it was Kessler's production that made Williams appear that way, or if he's a weak "documentarian" (I put that in quotes because it didn't seem like a documentary, at least compared to what we get from other documentaries).

When the film started, I thought it was going to be an interesting ride that started with Kessler's interest and eventual pursuit of Williams that would then go deeper into his life and thoughts. But the film is a sketch of a man that we can assemble from a variety of sources on our own. I don't feel like I know Paul Williams better, and his story seems to be just about a guy. But he's more than just an average schmo; he's a man who achieved more than most people would ever dream, and he learned a lot along the way. We don't get that or any meaningful insight; what we get is a bunch of images and a few words that end up with an unsatisfying movie experience. So I guess this is another movie I shouldn't have spent my money on.

Bruce Lee drawing

Kesan, aka the funny Chinese clown, drew this image of Bruce Lee, and added his screen name in Chinese, 李小龍 "Xiaolong", which according to Wikipedia means "little dragon". I think it's cool. (Kesan's last name is Li, btw...same sound as "Lee".)

Ever since I saw Enter the Dragon when I was in Asia, I have liked Lee because he achieved a balance between the East and the West in that film. Actually, it was on TV the other day, and I saw it again, which means I've seen the movie several times at this point. Too bad he passed away so young :(

Why wouldn't anyone like the Wizard of Oz

I've had a long week, and I still have a long work day tomorrow, so I've been relaxing tonight by watching The Wizard of Oz on TV. I've seen it many times before, and remember being scared of the Wicked Witch when I was a kid, but now I find the moving charming and entertaining. It's not a complex story, but I really enjoy the fantasy, the colors, the simplicity, the positivity...and the actors are fantastic. The three guys who played the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion all had extensive backgrounds in theater and vaudeville, and Judy Garland was great, too. Even though it was made over 70 years ago, it still seems fresh. And even though we have better effects and sets now, including digital capabilities, the technology they used doesn't seem dated or rudimentary. I accept its simplicity rather than pay attention to what's lacking. It's just a great movie, a true classic, and I think it would take a cynical or jaded person to not appreciate its artistry.

What English sounds like to non-English speakers

A short fake English film made to sound like what non-English speakers hear. It's funny to see how others perceive the language.



Thanks to Jordan for this.

Radio version of It's a Wonderful Life

I never get tired of the movie It's a Wonderful Life. I've seen it numerous times since I was a kid, because they've played it all over TV when no one has owned the copyright.

Well if you want to hear the complete audio version of the movie that was broadcast on radio back in the 1940's (when radio mattered much more than now), just listen right here.

Turkish Star Wars with English subtitles!

This video is really trippy: it's a Turkish space adventure called "Dünyayı Kurtaran Adam" which includes scenes from "Star Wars" and soundtracks from various American movies (the explanation is at the video link). Feel free to watch it because the entire thing has been translated--thanks to the translator and the person who posted it!

I can't believe this is a real movie

Right now, a very odd, campy movie is on TV: Night of the Comet.

"A comet wipes out most of life on Earth, leaving two Valley Girls to fight the evil types who survive."

It sounds like a fake movie, but it's true! How did they get funding for such a movie? Why did they make it? Seriously, it's very puzzling.

You can watch it in parts online. Below is the trailer. I doubt a lot of people saw it when it came out in the 80's. I certainly didn't, and never heard of it either.

This movie is horrible

I decided to watch the movie "I Really Hate My Job" from the free on-demand feature of my cable TV package, and it was AWFUL! Avoid it! It's about nothing and is not the least bit satisfying or meaningful in any way. Now I know why writers use plots and include likeable characters and other characters who we can identify with, because this movie had *none* of that. I couldn't relate to any of the characters, they all seemed like jerks, most of them were lazy, self-indulgent, and went on about obscure intellectual concerns that no one cares about. I can't believe well-known people were involved in this project. And I'm sure that there are people out there who think I'm pedestrian in my taste, but I don't care. The movie had no focus and nothing to offer other than whining women who all had hangups that only mattered to them and the pretentious writer. Serious thumbs down, not worth the rental price (or time).

I just saw this good French movie tonight

I'll be honest: I don't go to movies much because they seem crass and shallow, or have too much violence or the stars are so self-indulgent and obnoxious, it's hard for me to shell out the 11 bucks (!) to support them.

But I saw a really good movie tonight: Coco Before Chanel. It's in French, so it was especially interesting for me to read the English subtitles while trying to figure out what they were saying.

Here's the French trailer for the film, and below that is the English trailer. I'm putting the French one first because, of course, I'm a language fan :D

Metropolis movie poster and clip in German

Here's a poster for the movie Metropolis, which was a silent German film made in the late 1920's.

Here's a clip with the original German titles:



You can see more clips with the German at this link.

Also: someone let me know that this post was linked to a list of the best movie posters, so if you're interested in seeing a bunch of interesting designs, check it out.

See star trek

I rarely see movies, but I decided to see "Star Trek" because I've watched several episodes of Next Generation, Voyager (my favorite series) and Deep Space Nine. But you don't have to know anything about Star Trek to enjoy this movie, and if you are totally into Star Trek's history, story lines, characters, and quirks, you will have to put all that aside because this movie is starting a new era.

You don't even have to be into sci-fi. It's just a good movie, and if you like action, special effects, good acting, and high quality production value, then you'll really like this movie.

And what's weird is that the guy who plays Kirk looks and acts like a guy I work with, which I'm going to tell him on Monday because I doubt he reads my blog :D

This movie looks better than I thought

One of the books on my "favorite" list even here is The Devil Wears Prada, which I've recommended to other people who don't really like it. I don't even think I'm the "typical" reader for this book, but I really enjoyed the truth of the writing style and the story, probably because it was a thinly-veiled memoir.

When the movie came out, I decided not to see it because I really liked the book and thought the movie wouldn't measure up. Plus, Meryl Streep seemed to portray an the book's type-A boss, high-strung, elitist boss as too subdued.

But I've been watching it on TV, and it's actually a good movie. I see that Streep's treatment of the dragon-lady carries more power because everyone around her wants to please her, even though she never has to raise her voice. And the style of the movie doesn't have the tackiness I thought it would, but seems even sophisticated.

Plus, I'd never seen Anne Hathaway in a movie, just saw her image plastered everywhere because her PR machine is powerful. But she seems like a good actress with a cheerful disposition.

So I'll probably see this movie again because it ends way past my bedtime.

We all want a golden ticket

I've seen Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory many times (the original 1971 version, not the remake, which I've never seen), and even saw a special DVD with commentary and interviews with the stars, which I highly recommend. Well tonight I saw the movie for the umpteenth time, and realized that it's very popular because both kids and adults want a golden ticket--something really great that's given to them that leads to a better life. I think that's why we identify with Charlie: all of us may not be living in poverty, but we often want something to come along that that will improve our lives in a surprising way, especially for being a nice person, because it seems that sometimes it's the jerks who get ahead and achieve success.

A dumb question

I watched the movie Pride & Prejudice, and after the lovey-dovey ending (which was not in the UK version), I said to my husband, "That's a woman's dream--I wonder what guys thought of this movie," and he said, "This isn't the type of movie guys see."

Obviously. It's definitely a romantic, relationship-oriented chick flick, so I don't know why I assumed guys would've seen it.

Precious and cold

I thought I hadn't seen The Last Emperor, so I just sat through the whole thing, then realized that I saw it a while ago. I know it won a bunch of awards and everyone loved it, but I found it precious and cold, as in *too* precious and cold. Yeah, I know that we "should" like it, but it seemed like the movie was a series of story boards, like every scene was carefully planned like a painting. Maybe that's what they wanted: to create a movie that's like Chinese panels. Or maybe they kept it safe because the Chinese government back in the 80's gave them permission to film it in the Forbidden City, so they couldn't cross any lines by suggesting anything negative or even emotional.

I can see why it won an Oscar

I just saw the The Counterfeiters, which won an Academy Award for best foreign film this year. It was quite depressing, but it was really good and thought-provoking, so if you don't mind deep movies that contain despair and hardship and plenty of moral gray areas, you'll definitely like this one.

The movie was made in Austria, so it's in German (here's the German site) and I'm sure if my German wasn't so awful, I would've been able to figure out some of what they were saying. Which means I really need to resume studying German.

Last year's Oscar winner was also German: The Lives of Others, which I also saw. And I think I was thinking the same thing about learning German again. Obviously there's some good culture coming out of that area.

I knew it!

After I saw "La Vie En Rose," I said that "I would be very surprised if that film and/or actress did not win an Academy Award."

Well, the movie won some awards, and Marion Cotillard won best actress! Even though the media is saying that it's a "surprise", it isn't to me--she was incredible in that movie!

Good documentary

I usually don't watch VH1, but I ended up watching Air Guitar Nation because a couple of months ago I had to edit an interview with an air guitar champ, and I wanted to find out what that scene was like. I highly recommend this documentary--it's interesting and entertaining and is stylish in terms of the graphics and how they shot and edited it. By the end, I cared about how well these people were going to do. It doesn't mock them but just follows what they're doing and shows the drama of their pursuits.