Harry Potter

Awesome. well, kinda long in the middle - but a satisfying ending. i am going to reread them all this year. i felt the pressure to finish it before i read an account of the ending, or others "beat" me to it!

Bukowski - Born Into This

Bukowski - Born Into This (DVD)

This documentary looks at the life of poet and author Charles Bukowski (1920-1994), whose bibliography includes "Notes of a Dirty Old Man", "Love is a Dog from Hell", as well as the screenplay for Barfly. Bukowski earned a cult following attracted to his graphic and brutal stories of a life (often his own) lived amidst alcoholism, poverty and violence.

Great film about an author i have not experienced much of. His poetry can be raw and shocking, but his words paint a vivd picture. i'm planning on reading more of his works soon.

Who the #$&% Is Jackson Pollock?

Who the #$&% Is Jackson Pollock? (DVD)

When Teri Horton, a 73-year-old former long-haul truck driver with an eighth grade education bought a painting in a thrift shop for five dollars, she didn't know that it would pit her against the most powerful people in the art community and perhaps forever change the way art is authenticated around the world. Who The #$&% Is Jackson Pollock? is a rollicking adventure that documents a 15-year war with the art world's inner circle, lifts the veil on how art is bought and sold in America and introduces audiences to the funny, profane and utterly unforgettable Teri Horton.

A must see from the wacky world of the "what is art?" genre.I learned much about the art world from this film.

My Latest Grievance

My Latest Grievance - Lipman

Frederica Hatch—the articulate, curious, and naïve narrator of Lipman's eighth novel—proves the perfect vehicle for this satiric yet compassionate family portrait. It's 1976, and psych professors David and Aviva Hatch are honest with their daughter to the point of anatomically correcting Frederica's Barbie dolls. In all their years as a dorm family at a small women's college outside Boston, though, no one mentioned Laura Lee French, David's first wife (and distant cousin). Frederica, now 15 and ready for rebellion, delights in Laura's arrival on campus as a new dorm mother; David and Aviva look on nervously as the two become fast friends. In contrast with Frederica's right-thinking, '60s radical parents, Laura Lee becomes the delicious embodiment of all the moral and psychological complexities of a flawed world beyond campus. Meanwhile, campus itself looks very little like an ivory tower as major scandal brews amid petty gossip.

Great read, very smart and funny and entertaining. I seem to like fiction in an academic setting, especially if it is written like this!

Art film not to see?

In the realms of the unreal : the mystery of Henry Darger (DVD) too weird. and i love weird. Reminded me of the style of The Devil and Daniel Johnston. See that one instead. Too hard to follow for me, I am going to try to watch it again.

Art films to see.

My architect : a son's journey / (DVD) the story of Nataniel Kahn's search for the history of his absent father. A great picture of an artist devoted to changing architecture. Presented well and not overly dramatic.


Sketches of Frank Gehry / (DVD)
Terrific as well. Gehry changed the way many people look at architecture. He would crumple a bit of paper, and say "make the building look like THAT". A good staff of like-minded fellows helps, of course. Loved the shots of his house as well, it's good to see where an artist lives, esp. if it reflects their art.


Chihuly short cuts / (DVD)
Also great. CHiluly changed glass as Gehry changed architecture. A great look at a man refusing to settle within a difficult medium. Also a good look at his teams of assistants - group effort makes art!


Robert Rauschenberg : man at work /(DVD) are you detecting a theme here? innovation, newness, not conforming to the structure of what is known as "art". The day to day struggles, the differences of opinions, and a fascinating look at mixed media, and creativity.


Who gets to call it art? : the legend of Henry Geldzahler, 1935-1994 / (DVD) last one. the man who "made" the art. i loved the portraits of henry, done by all the famous artists throughout the film. How art is promoted - an art to itself. A good ending to a fine series of "art films" this week.

See all of the above. they will inspire you, not with specifics of medium or craft, but as a picture of those who dare to be different, not in a commercial way, but in a way that they NEED to create. I love tales of creative people. we all should live this path!

Sicko

Sicko (in theaters)

Mixed review from me. Typical Michael Moore. Our health care system is indeed a mess, and everyone should be aware of it, by watching this movie or otherwise. He made some very good points, but I didn't appreciate the over editorializing. Perhaps this is what the general public needs to understand? I would rather just see the facts and make my own conclusion.

My own conclusion is indeed frightening. And in a n age where we are all living longer, and having to care for our elders already, this does not bode well for the future.

Other note: Moore makes a big deal about an "anti moore" blogger having to shut down his website in order to pay for his wife's health care. Moore, in the spirit of free speech, sent this man an "anonymous" check to cover the health care, so the "i hate moore" blog could continue. We saw a picture of the check. With the man and his wife's name. Moore said he sent it. ANONYMOUS???? except for all the people who will see this film. I would have applauded the effort, if i had not technically known about it.... and now it's one more dig from Moore, very public, on camera, see how i am mocked.... upsetting. always in the last five minutes. the stinger always irritates me.

even more than the 9/11 workers to cuba health care mess. and shouting across the water from a boat does NOT constitute actually asking for help. when their presence seemed to finally be noticed, they took off. perhaps if they had been apprehended, they would have gotten care!

probably not. my comments are on the audacity of the film, not the message. we all need to look at this as one of the most important issues of our future, and that of our children's.

foolsgold

In this personal, inspiring guide to a creative life, Wooldridge shares her own journey of the heart—from loss and grief to a return to wholeness and joy. Offering poetry exercises, journal writing, and other practices to encourage creative play—including foraging and assembling collages with found objects—Foolsgold: Making Something from Nothing and Freeing Your Creative Process will motivate you to reevaluate what’s most important in your world. Through intimate stories about transforming what life brings your way, the book will help open your heart to more creativity—DELIGHT AND VITALITY—whether it’s through photography, dance, gardening, cooking, songwriting, or poetry. Foolsgold includes dozens of suggestions to help you free the artist within by cultivating a creative lifestyle that will not only expand and inspire you but may also ground and heal you.


GREAT BOOK! good quotes, inspiring but not preachy - this was suggested on a craft blog i often read, and i spent a few early mornings in solitude this weekend reading it. helped me to reconnect to an often overlooked creative process.

Shopaholic and Baby

Shopaholic and Baby

Kinsella's follow-up to Shopaholic & Sister(2004) finds the irrepressible Becky expecting her first child with her dashing husband, Luke. Naturally, there's shopping to be done: Becky is determined that her child will be as stylish as a baby can be. That includes having the best obstetrician, so when Becky learns about Venetia Carter, who caters to models and movie stars, she's determined to get herself into Venetia's practice. She succeeds, only to discover to her dismay that the stunning Venetia dated Luke in college and may still be carrying a torch for him. Becky will go to any length to keep her husband, whether it be intercepting text messages from Venetia in Latin or hiring a private detective to trail Luke and learn whether or not he has actually been unfaithful to her, rendering marriage over before it has really begun. Through it all, Becky never loses her spark, making this fifth entry in the Shopaholic series every bit as delightful and hilarious as its predecessors.


silly silly read. took me about an hour. every few months, i need to read the hottest, silliest book i can find to delve into mainstream culture. done now. time to go back to my art documentaries for the rest of the week. but a fun, silly book!