I went to the High Museum yesterday to see some of the Dali exhibit. I shot some clandestine stills, didn’t have as much time as I’d like to – helping my niece check out Toddler Thursday, and catching up with other friends. But I did learn of the existence of this project, started in 1945 and completed in 2003: Destino.

*Also want to note two additions to the film link here: Love Train of the Tenebrous Empire,which I’ve been following for a while; and the amazing UbuWeb, which I’m still exploring and will certainly be reposting from in the near future*

After almost a quarter century, still a classic. Gus Van Sant did the film montage.

Also psyched for the new doc coming out, WSB:A man within…

Got this off Twitch yesterday. Dog fights + great animation = brilliant. One wishes they could have gone a little ballsier with the music (though I’ll bet someone though this WAS rawkus), but I’ll definitely check out this film. Here’s another clip from a 2006 project from Damien Nenow.

PATHS OF HATE long trailer from Platige Image on Vimeo.

Over the weekend I went to part of the BuriedAlive filmfest at The Plaza, not so much because I wanted to see the films but support the theater and the idea of such a festival. And the films lived only up to that level, Terry Gilliam’s (who is always interesting but I can’t get on board with 100%) Legend of Hallowdega, which was amusing but sort of felt like a tax write off for Amp energy drink; and Satan Hates You, also OK but 5-10 minutes longer than it needed to be. Still I’m not sorry in the least I went: Fangoria and other film swag was given away in the lobby, and it as all about supporting the Indie film (and theater) scene, which is very much in need of such support.

It’s a difficult topic to write about. On the one hand you have Chinglish filled articles like this Xi Ya Ya expose. On the other, there is a lack of info from western sources. For example, passing a shop window in Beijing earlier this fall I saw some of the very cool Calabash Brothers mentioned here, but then can find no info on IMDB, and it’s only from ’87. Something tells me there are many holes from that source with international films – at least for now. I’ll stay with it though and report more when I can.

Caught this animated short on IFC late night a few weeks ago. Interesting animation, cool story and music. Starts out almost in a C. McCarthy zone but then goes much softer, still with it’s own important story to tell. Searching around on youtube (which I don’t recommend, as that title, as you can imagine is well used…) I did find this trailer for a DVD of which it was part. The voice over and black and white animated bits are what is relevant here, though I’d like to see the other work as well. I’ll be looking for more from German Andreas Hykade.

Living in China, I’ve had some encounters with other American’s over here to “teach English” who are in fact protestant Christians who feel they must convert, “save”, these lowly Chinese savages and inject bible-speak into every conversation they can. This despite the fact that Confucious, who is 500 years older than the “Christ child”, has had a more lasting effect upon the morality of China than the impact Holy J seems to have had upon the west. The wars, rape and murder keep on and on, but some just won’t shut about him. Unfortunately, many of these boring-ass myths are new to the Chinese students and they indulge the coersation, not to mention they’ll do most “anything to practice English”. I was hoping to vent some of this angst enjoying a film with this name, but the story has almost nothing to do with the title. A better title would have been Gynocide, which is seen written on a notebook at one point during the film. Note the feminist symbol for the T in the poster…

The prologue of this film is straight beautiful, even if a bit heavy handed. There are glimpses of the blunt carnality to come. But the film is more of a psychological thriller/ghost story than apocryphal. Charolette Gainsbourg steels the show from Defoe, but they both have rather solid performances. I wouldn’t have minded seeing her go off even more when it gets to that bit. I didn’t think the violence was as hardcore as some, or as realistic. A man would not carry on so after receiving such wounds. It’s got the fucking and genital mutilation you may have heard about, but not to such great effect. I’m not sure about Von Trier’s overall message in this film – is sort of wreaks of misogynistic paranoia. And you know it’s bad if I’m saying such a thing…. But it’s creepy like you want a scary movie to be creepy. I also give props for making a “small”, non-blockbuster film, and tasteful use of CG for a pleasant change.

So if all goes according to plan, I’m off soon for Jinan (G nan), China. Many people have been asking me about this, assuming since they’ve never heard of the city it might be some rural place. So I found this video tour. It has mellow Chinese muzak, I’m sure gives an overly serene impression of the City of Springs, slightly funky English that I as teacher will be out to mend, but the maker does thank you for watching at the end. Nothing wrong with being polite.