Posted on by LA · 48 Comments

Thrills and Chills

I’m a movie fan. I belong to AMC movie club and am a member of Film Forum. Watching movies is one of my favorite hobbies- I go to at least one movie a week, often new releases, though I love catching an oldie that I’ve never seen, or I loved so much I want to see it again.

Movies. Great entertainment.

However, movies are really not just entertainment. Movies also show the social climate of when they were produced. You can learn a lot about a time period by watching film.

Presently, we are having a real go of thriller/horror movies. I admit that this is not normally my go to genre, but some of the new ones are really good. They sort of thrill you on the visceral scale- you scream or shut your eyes, but they also hit on the intellectual. Once you open your eyes and get past the horror, you really start to think. Think about social issues and moral issues and how we live our lives in the 21st century.

I think this era started with Get Out. Have you seen it? If you haven’t, you should. Jordan Peele does a masterful job in this seemingly average movie about an average family meeting their daughter’s boyfriend. Spoiler alert: there is nothing average about these people. This movie scares you, but really makes you think and question. Isn’t that what true art is supposed to do? Think and question?

Here’s some recent thrillers that I think are spot on for combining entertainment and thought:

  1. The Menu
  2. M3GAN
  3. Vengeance
  4. The Batman
  5. Barbarian
  6. Emily the Criminal
  7. Bodies Bodies Bodies
  8. Triangle of Sadness

While these can be considered satires, that doesn’t take away from the underlying message that each of these films is trying to show. They do a really good job of showing hypocrisy, cancel culture, the problems with tech and social media, and the overall climate that the world faces today.

I’m interested to see where movies go from here- which direction they will take in trying to get people to wake up and think. I think this could be a really good era for the thriller and movie making in general.

Have you seen any of these movies?

Do you consider film to be art?

Do you think movies should make us think about the underlying issues that we face every day, or that exist around us?

Discuss

Posted on by LA · 84 Comments

Untitled

Why do artists choose to not give titles to things that they do?

Can you imagine if we didn’t title blogs?

As we know, titles are my least favorite thing about the whole blogging process. I write a post and then I spend more time thinking of a title than I did actually writing…

Why do I have trouble with titles?

  1. Any blogging guide out there tells you that a title is what draws you in: It’s a first impression. As I am lousy with first impressions in real life, I don’t know why my blog first impression should be any different.
  2. I rarely know what the point of my posts are…I get a theory and I write- to say there is a main idea floating around in there is madness.
  3. Titles should be clever. While I have clever moments, they don’t seem to happen between my usual blogging hours of 7-9am NYC time.
  4. One of my blogging friends has always been using Day 1, Day 33, etc

But anyway…

Why do you think artists choose to say something is “Untitled”?

FYI- the restaurant at the Whitney used to be called Untitled, but it hasn’t been open the last few times I visited the Whitney so I don’t know if it’s still in business…

If you were to not title something, what would your reasons be?

Discuss:

Posted on by LA · 95 Comments

Portrait of the Artist as Just an Artist

Should The Cosby Show still be on TV?

Do I have your attention?

What Bill Cosby did to women was despicable. It was wrong on all sorts of levels which is why he went to prison.

But his TV show, the one all about family values….should it be pushed aside to the bins?

Should the thousands of other people who worked on that show be forced to suffer in shame even thought they did nothing wrong?

Do we separate the artist from the art?

I have been struggling with this issue for awhile. There are many books, movies, music and art that I like and appreciate for their intrinsic value. It’s pretty to look at, or complex in its ideas. It makes me think or it inspires me. Is it wrong to look at a work of art and not contemplate who the artist is? Should we just get rid of all that intellectual property because of the person who made it?

So, I have decided to take a stand: I am going to separate art from the artist. I am going to enjoy a piece of work on its own merits. I am not going to look at the background of an artist.

My college book club is really focused on looking at the background of the authors of the books that we read. We spent the first ten minutes of the last book club hearing someone recite the bio of the author…

Why?

Can’t a book just be a book?

Shouldn’t a book stand on its own merits without knowing anything about the author? if you’re a scholar this could be very interesting. I understand many a thesis is based on looking into the life of an artist. But for the lay person? Should we need a reason for the art? Shouldn’t the art stand alone?

Does the authors bio really matter?

Does who the artist is really matter?

Should we separate art from the artist?

Discuss:

On a side note: Two of my blog friends wrote very thought provoking pieces yesterday. As they gave me much to think about, I thought that you might enjoy them as well:

http://theycallmetater.com/2021/05/03/free-speech-and-the-cheerleader/

https://bleuwater.me/2021/05/03/study-56-of-young-liberal-women/

Posted on by LA · 12 Comments

Sunday Wrap Up

Re-entry from vacation is often difficult.  There is laundry to wash, errands to run, blogs to read…..But I’m slowing catching up.  As always, I received no endorsement for anything mentioned in this was post.  Rating are 0-5.  All locations are New York City unless otherwise specified.  And you know I’m not a critic, but especially not an art critic- so my exhibit critique is purely my initial impressions.   Here’s the gist….

Books:

“The Feed” MT Anderson.  I’ve had some discussions about this book with various people.  Frankly, it mentally scared the pants off me.  It’s a dystopian world that seems oddly relevant.  Is it a great book?  No.  Does it make you think?  Yes.  I think every teenager should read this book (which is appropriate as it is YA, and my daughter was given it as a summer assignment) 4

Television:

“Broadchurch“- I’m ambivalent about the story this season, but Not about David Tennant.  3.8

“Suits“- I love the relationship between Harvey and Mike- great writing.  Now they add Dule Hill- from the much missed Psych (but don’t worry- movie coming in December).  The show has trite plot points, but I don’t care. 4

Movies:

“Despicable Me 3″- This movie is exactly what you would expect from the third in a series of animated movies aimed at young children.  My family was tired of laundry and we wanted an air conditioned escape that was close to the supermarket.  3

“Dunkirk“- I normally like movies that are heavy on dialogue and interplay between characters.  This really has neither.  But it is a spectacular war movie.  Brilliant direction- staging was spectacular.  4.7

Museums:

New Museum–   Located in the East VIllage/Noho area (I don’t know what they’re calling the Bowery these days)- building is small but conducive to exhibits.  Exhibits tend to be newer contemporary works that are usually pretty thought inducing.  It expounds the definition of what art actually is.  7th floor has a small viewing area that is pretty neat, but view is Ok.  Cute coffee shop.  Venue- 4.3

Exhibits:

“Half -Truths” Paul Ramirez Jonas- Loved this.  Exhibit is literally fueled by attendees.  I’m loving the trend of people contributing to a work of art- it adds and edge and an authenticity to works, and makes it socially relevant.  Downside- it is not meant to last.  I’m not sure how I feel about the non-permanence. 4.8

“Under-Song For a Cipher”Lynette Yiadom-Boakye  Paintings.  Old fashioned paintings.  Nice. 4

“Good Thing You Are Not Alone” Kaari Upson.  Huge installation piece “Idiot’s Guide Womb Room”.  Loved it.  The rest of the exhibit was interesting, and, as all contemporary art does, it makes you think.  4.3

“Antibodies” Carol Rama This didn’t do anything for me.  It seemed sort of generic, which is saying something if you describe contemporary art as such. 3.5

“Viscera Has Questions About Itself” Elaine Cameron-Weir   This was a small exhibit, but actually pretty interesting.  Use of generic materials in different ways.  You can sort of immerse yourself in the works, which makes it interesting.  I’m going to call it installation art. 4

Food:

The Palm Too- Old school steak house.  Meal is fine, but I think it’s too highly priced, and I would rather go to other places.  That being said, it is perfect restaurant to take Father in Law for his 80th birthday if he is a carnivore. 4

Rubirosa- We went for lunch.  Pizza very good- thin crust.  Chicken pesto sandwich also delicious.  I’ve had better pizza in New York though.  We didn’t get pasta, but table next to us did and it looked amazing.

Housekeeping:

My daughter did not get picked to be a US Open Ball person.  She was sad but not devastated.

We did not visit my nephews at their camp.  Husband realized that it was prohibitively far from our destination, both going to, and leaving Maine.

Emoji Movie.  At one point this movie had a Rotten Tomatoes score of 0.  As of Saturday night- the rating stood at 7%.

I am almost done reading blogs.  I read them in a weird pattern that even I don’t understand- but it doesn’t matter because I am almost caught up!

My high score on Ballz is 121.  This is a personal triumph as I am not good at app games.

 

 

 

Posted on by LA · 19 Comments

Sunday Wrap up

Another Sunday- another week in review.  Think of the following as recommendations, not really reviews.  Ratings are done 0-5.  I am receiving no compensation for or from anything I write about.  This is all purely pleasure (in most cases anyway)  All places are in NYC unless otherwise noted.

Movies:

“Baby Driver” I did not like this movie(though I realize I am the only person in the world that didn’t.)  It started off fine and then went off the rails- he’s no Tarantino. Great soundtrack though. 3.8

“Hero” This is a pretty decent movie.  Moves slowly, which I realize is a directorial choice, but still….4.1

Television:

“Broadchurch” David Tennant.  In the movie of my life starring Diane Lane, David Tennant will be my husband.  I think he elevates anything he appears in.  Though I enjoyed Season 1 of this series much more, I’m going to keep watching. 3.8

I have officially given up on the Prime Suspect reboot.

Books:”

“The Portrait” Antoine Laurain  I did not like this book.  Let me rephrase.  I did not understand this book.  If anyone read this, and got it, please help me. 2.8

 

Art: I know nothing about art- I just like to look at pretty and interesting things.  They inspire me, but don’t expect learned criticism, unless you call “ooh its so pretty” learned criticism.

“Mutations” The High Line- to me the High Line is the greatest example of upcycling anywhere, by converting an abandoned rail track into a glorious urban green space.  They often have outdoor art exhibits, such as this years Mutations.  Mutations itself has both good and bad works, but really, you’re walking outside in a beautiful park.  Venue:4.9 exhibit: 4

Morgan Library and Museum 4.5 I love this place- as they are part library, they tend to do many exhibits revolving around writers.  Perfection- “Henry James and American Painting” 4 interesting look at James and his life- try to get tour- docent Elizabeth is wonderful! “This Ever New Self Thoreau and His Journal” 4.5 (First edition Walden, his journals, recommendation letter from Ralph Waldo Emerson) “Noah’s Beasts” 4.2 (works that are from Mesopotamia- amazing) “Poussin, Claude, and French Drawing in the Classical Age” some of these works are just gorgeous.

History:

Federal Hall 4.  The spot (not the building) where Washington took the oath of office.  Interesting and free.  Self guided tour is actually pretty good.

Food

I tried a lot of food this week- here is the quick rundown of highlights:

Salvation Taco 4.5

Hometown Barbecue 4.5- bonus- take Ikea ferry to get there

Steve’s Key Lime Pie 4.9 I got it at Brooklyn Crab, but if you see it, get it

Shake Shack 4.5

I think anything at any of these places would be great!