The recent collaboration between ubiquitous director Spike Jonze and rap-star extraordinaire Kanye West has recently found its way to the suffocating glory that is the World Wide Web. This is the second time Jonze and Spike have joined arms, the first being for Kanye’s video clip ‘Flashing Lights’. The eleven minute-short titled 'We Were Once a Fairytale' shows a tuxedo-clad Kanye on a night out after a couple too many. His eyes are glazed over and his attempt at singing along to his own song ‘See You in My Nightmares’ is a dismal failure. Unimpressed club patrons humour the star as he struggles to hold himself up, while simultaneously fondling any pretty girl that enters his blurred vision. Although his determination prevails, or so he thinks, as he ends up making love to a beautiful woman donning a tight leopard-skin mini. However, moments later he awakes; strewn face-down, across a leopard skin couch with his pants around his ankles. It seems Mr West became a little more than acquainted with the wildly-spotted pillows. Dazed he re-enters the party scene and heads straight to the bathroom, only to violently vomit up what seems to be rose-coloured petals. After spotting a dagger on the ground he proceeds to cut open his insides, cue more rose petals, until finally we hear the sound of a blade to an umbilical cord. What’s on the other end? Clasped within West’s grasp is a tiny troll-like creature, who looks despondently at his incubator as he is handed a mini dagger. With a knowing yet sympathetic demeanour West looks on as the creature offs himself. It’s all about killing the demons within? Ya dig?
This mini-film comes riding on the back-tail of the VMA Taylor Swift storm, yet was made in January; almost a year before the loud-mouth antagonist unexpectedly joined the precocious country curl on stage. In West’s defence this episode only propelled Swift into a sphere of mass publicity which only Kanye holds the key to.
Director Spike Jonze does an amazing job at portraying the singer as a lost and confused soul. The victim of his own doing, he is drowning in a pool of egotism; the very core of his existence. Ever since his inception as Kanye West ‘the entertainer’ he has never been one to shy away from self-deprecation. In 'We Were Once a Fairytale' West’s believable portrayal of himself, a conceded materialistic ponce, ironically makes him endearing to the viewer. Jonze enables the viewer to feel sorry for the ostentatious star who is so self-aware yet so obliviously unaware of reality, that self-effacement seems to be his only salvation.
**Disclaimer: After the Taylor Swift Affair Kanye suffered an identity crisis and in turn cancelled his tour with Lady Gaga and access to the West/Jonze video.
He fell for a girl who didn't believe in love but managed to convince her otherwise.
"Roses are red, Violets are blue,
Fuck you whore"
(500) Days of Summer is an indie rom-com with all the right ingredients for the 21st century MTV audience. The film plays on the relationship between love and pain through the comical awkwardness of humdrum greeting-cardwriter Tom Hanson (Joseph Gordon Levitt - see Mysterious Skin & Brick) and the coy ambiguity of Summer Finn played by indie pin-up girl Zoey Deschanel (see Gigantic & The Good Girl). At the beginning of the un-labelled relationship Finn pre-warns Hanson of her intentions, or lack thereof : "I'm not looking for anything serious," cue Hanson's despondency, violins and breaking heart. In real life, it seems Deschanel whole-heartedly embraces the concept of indie love; she just recently married Death Cab For Cutie's frontman Ben Gibbard.
The boy meets girl, girl 'shits' on boy story highlights the perils of love in life, but seems content with merely skimming the surface. It seems director Mark Webb intentionally avoids any raw emotion, with the pretence of targeting an audience who would be more than satisfied with the palatable Belle and Sebastian,The Smiths and Joy Division references. This post-modern love story is presented in a disjointed non-linear fashion, portraying the film as a 'memory story'; an unorthodox Memento-like style which allows the film to parallel different stages of a relationship. Despite this emotions fail to peek and instead maintain a constant plateau of 'lull', an exception to this would be the smack in the chops Hanson receives in Summer's honour, again at his own comical expense.
The constant drone of Summer's monotone voice further dispels any hope of real feelings, something that could be easily achieved with even a slight stint of intonation. But alas, Deschanel parades the same "crooked teeth, blue eyes and 1960s hairstyle" paired with her girly sense of dress, which seems to carry her though all her films. Her insouciant mannerisms lend to her polite exit from the 'relationship'; the movie excuses her insensitive behaviour and presents her as a completely unaware character. She is confused by the feeble concept of 'love' and therefore less of a cold-hearted bitch. The film manages to steer clear of the stereotyped Hollywood gender roles yet ironically states that "there are two types of people in this world, men and women", a complete contrast to the ambiguous gender roles played out in the film. Summer's character enjoys 'holding hands in IKEA and having sex in the shower,' yet if she were a guy she would be labelled selfish misogynistic - lucky for her.
It has to be noted that early on in the story the earnest gentleman narrator firmly informs the audience that (500) Days of Summer'is not a love story.' Writers Scott Neustadter and Michael Weber refer to their narrative as 'a coming-of-age story pretending to be a romantic comedy', one which involves two characters. The three-dimensional lovelorn Tom Hanson and the unidentifiable Summer Finn, a woman filled with Tom's ideal projection. Although it is very easy to be sucked into Hanson's fantasy world, the writers hope viewers see that Summer Finn, the bewitching 'villian', who excuses any wrong-doings by batting her big blue eyes, is merely a vehicle for Hanson to realise his dreams. Other than her favourite The Smiths' song, Hanson really doesn't know anything about Summer.
Aesthetically, this picture is very beautiful but did you feel like you were Yoko Ono watching the film through her trademark blue-tinted glasses? Before you self-diagnose a 'defunct cornea' put your mind at ease, by realising that this blue-centric colour-scheme was purposely used to bring out Deschanel's blue eyes. Yes, there was indeed method behind the 'deer in headlights' madness.
(500) Days of Summeris what it is. Put simply it's another indie flick with very calculated timing. Hollywood has found a way to appeal to the 'masses', those indie alt-fans who feel jaded; cheated by the unrealistic expectations of movies such as Legally Blonde. These new quirky romcoms include acoustic indie soundtracks which seem to add a new kind of realistic depth; one reminiscent of knobbly knees, crooked teeth and all the understated peculiarities and insecuritiesthat make life 'real'. Quirky characters with awkward social tendencies (see Napoleon Dynamite & Garden State)and affinities for indie rock bands (Juno, Nick and Noah's Infinite Playlist & Paper Heart), often coupled with twenty-something melancholy heartbreak, are the new niche and actors like Zooey Deschanel, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and even Michael Cera are in their prime.
Marc's Webb's debut is cute and sweet; something you wouldn't mind savouring, but for a movie supposed to be about love and pain, it does not hurt nearly enough. This of course, is less of a criticism and more of an observation.
A side note: go see Closer if you're looking for some real raw emotional intensity.
After being caught out for her infidelities, Owen presses Robert's for more detailed information: "what does he taste like?” to which she replies "he tastes like you, only sweeter". After a line like that, a kick in the guts would be a walk in the park.
Disclaimer: (500) Days of Summer was distributed by Fox Searchlight Pictures, a company responsible for indie films Sideways, Little Miss Sunshine and Juno, and not MTV.
Tonight I'm going to check out coyly smug-mug Benicio Del Toro at the BFI Southbank.
It's going to be rad, short for radical.
From row G his husky voice will be the only sound byte I hear and that's more than okay with moi. He'll be laying out the facts of (his) life/career and his most recent producing project Che (premieres this Saturday). Visions of pending ignorance have encouraged me to delve a little bit deeper into the guerilla life that was Argentinian revolutionist Che Guevara.
If only to bring me a little closer to Benicio himself.
Above: Del Toro doin a damn fine impression of Che.
L: Che & Castro
While you wait for me to post back, feast your beedy eyes balls on Alberto Korda's famous photograph of Che.
Titled, Guerrillero Heroico it was taken on March 5, 1960, but seen on nearly every t-shirt this side of Hong Kong. Google his name and you'll know what I mean.
Guevara was 31 when this picture was taken in Havana, Cuba at a memorial service for victims of the La Coubre explosion.
This image may as well be the symbol of pop-culture. Hell, the first place I saw it was on my younger brother's wall, and I still had no idea who it was. This is defintely one of those images that has made it through time, but the story that comes with it is no longer taught in class or in history books but through the film industry. 2004 saw the writer's book on his motorcycle travels through Latin America be turned into the movie, The Motorcycle Diaries. Go figure.
And this l'il doozy the one that really did breed like a rabbit was originally created by Jim Fitzpatrick in 1967.
A doco/movie that says it's okay to be a freak/geek/outcast because in
the end they all turn into butterflies. Get it? This is a film for all those who were made to feel like they were nothing, just an insignificant caterpillar. But now director Aaron Rose says it's the caterpillar's turn to shine.
It's a feel good piece with skaters and graffiti artists to boot. Need a confidence boost? Check this mother out.
The After Party @ Cordy House followed the secret premiere of the movie, a day earlier than scheduled. It featured £5 door entry, unless you held a BFI ticket stub or like me you arrived 1 hour before finish and kicked up enough of a fuss to be let in for free.
There were light installations and DJs who weren't too shabby, especially Squeek E. Clean.
So the BFI London Film Festival (http://www.bfi.org.uk/lff) started on the 15/10 showcasing a bevy of talented actors, screenwriters, directors and funnily enough, the films themselves. But of course it wasn't really as simple as logging on to the site on the 15/Oct, instead paying members received first pickings 5 days earlier. And although, there are multiple of screenings of most movies, this meant many of the films were booked out before the 15th even came around. However, these are just the words of a tight, rather unorganised individual who could have put in a lot more effort.
In any case, 30 mins before every screening new tickets are released and this my dear friend is salvation for those who share my enthusiasm but also lack the motivation to do anything about it, until it's ALMOST too late.
So there are many anticipated events and films on the bill this year, including;
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
British director Danny Boyle (pictured above), who is the man behind Sunshine and 28 Days Later, has this time taken a very different path. Jamal Malik, an 18-year-old orphan from the slums of Mumbai, played by Dev Patel (lanky, awkward dude from Skins, kinda looks like my brother..) leads the love story set in India. The Skinny of it is; Jamal Malik (Dev with Skins crew is the wide-eyed, doppy fella top left) is one question away from winning 20 million rupees on India's Who Wants to be a Millionaire when the police arrest him on on suspicion of cheating.
The story of his life unravels as the Slumdog attempts to prove his innocence, each episode is linked to each game-show question he was given.
This poignant tale plays on the closing night with all attending (and all who miss out) holding very VERY high expectations.
BENICIO DEL TORO 24/10/08
BFI 8:30pm
Speaks about his highly-lauded career and his experience acting and producing the film Che (Part 1 & Part 2).
The understated genius takes the stand and talks all things weird, warpde and wonderful. He's worked with Spike Jonze and Michel Gondry (Science of Sleep, Be Kind Rewind) and is the mastermind behing Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind & Being John Malcovich.
I am more than prone to monologues; however, this is solely due to the manner in which they compliment a witty anecdote and their ability to resemble concrete evidence when it is so obviously lacking.
I often wish I could emulate that aloof character who coolly stands in the corner smiling mysteriously as if she has a secret. However, I fear resisting the temptation to involve myself in other people’s conflicts and responding through body language rather than verbose banter may come across as contrived and arrogant. And, I am not willing to take that chance.
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