LAMBERTATHON: WHITE MATERIAL (PINK SMOKE)

Here's my contribution to the (Christopher) Lambertathon for The Pink Smoke which also served as an opportunity for me to redo/rewrite my thoughts on a film directed by my favorite cinematic subject: Claire Denis

enjoy (click the image to go to the article)

POSITIVE OMEN TOUR VIDEO

Here's a film put together by Hip-Hop Slam documenting Dj's Mista B, Quest, DnZ & Alf on their trip to Japan following the earthquake/tsunami that hit in 2011.

When each of the four members of what would become the Hip Hop Slam Presents Positive Omen Tour first heard news of the March 11, 2011 earthquake/tsunami that devastated Japan they knew that they had to do their part - no matter how small - to help alleviate the pain & suffering caused by the disaster. Hence the impetus for the August 2011 turntablist tour of Japan by American DJs Quest, ALF, Mista B, and DnZ with proceeds benefiting the victims via money donated to places such as Second Harvest Japan (2hj.org). This DVD captures that intense one week benefit tour that took the four traveling US DJs via trains/planes/buses throughout Japan with stops including Osaka, Okinawa,Kyoto, and Tokyo where the turntablist tour came to a halt on Sunday, August 15th with a final performance by all four DJs at the East Japan DMC Finals. Along the way you will see amazing live freestyle turntablism displays - as well as get a flavor of a country still in recovery five months after a crippling natural disaster.

Beyond the human concern felt for the victims, the Positive Omen DJs each had a strong bond with Japan - either knowing folks over there or having spent time there themselves. "I felt great going back to my second home bringing positive energy," shared DJ ALF who had lived in Japan for 3 years. Meanwhile DJ DnZ, who had lived in Japan even more recently for a year up until Feb 2011, said that the tour was something he needed to do to help. But, he said, it was also a lot of fun along the way. "Japan, music, scratching, sushi, women, beats. More sushi and more scratchin'!," laughed DnZ of the tour that allowed each of the four turntablists to showcase their individual skills and also as a team. Speaking some months after the tour DJ Quest said that, "It was a real privilege to use our DJ'ing skills to raise awareness for a cause of this nature." Be sure to check out Quest's "Finger Lights Scratch Routine" at the East Japan DMC as an example of a fine solo set. Also joining the tour was Quest's teenaged son Alex - aka DJ Train - who not only worked behind the scenes with merch and sound but also got busy on the turntables at one of the venues on the tour. In the DVD's footage you will feel like you are along for the tour that took the DJs from Shibuya-Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Okinawa, Roppongi, and then back to Shibuya with stops at all kinds of venues. "We were doing all kinds of gigs and events ranging from in-stores, live stream shows, party rocking events, and showcasing. We also took numerous forms of transportation to get around; from taxi's to bullet trains. You name it, we rode it," laughed Mista B of the tour that, as seen from this DVD, was both fun and benefiting a most worthwhile cause. - Billy Jam (Hip-Hop Slam)

This project is special to me on a personal level because it not only shows a side of my life that has kind of taken a backseat over the years (scratch DJing/turntablism), but it also features music that I worked on with another good friend of mine by the name of Dj Trife* (my friendships/relationships/connections with some of the folks featured/involved in this noble video go back 15 years).

our music can be heard at 05:27 & 34:47

*not all the music in the video is mine


You can check out the film in its entirety below.

Enjoy...

Positive Omen - Japan Tour 2011 from ALF of Hip Hop Slam on Vimeo.

TIM & ERIC'S BEDTIME STORIES: "ROOMMATES"

I'm not a fan of over-analyzing comedy to the point where it becomes unfunny (kinda like what journalists have done with Louis CK's material) but the "Roommates" episode of Tim & Eric's Bedtime Stories is an exception as it digs a little deeper and explores the idea of "the hipster" in a way most shows/movies haven't...

The term “hipster” has become one of the most misused (and overused) words to describe certain types of people. Nowadays anything slightly different or “alternative” is considered hipstery (shit, I’ve even been called a hipster a few times in my life). I’m not even going to try and give an example of what I think a hipster is. It’s 2016. You guys can probably use your imagination and come up with a quick generic description. I’ve witnessed friends & acquaintances use the term hipster to categorize every type of person ranging from goth to frat boy. See what I mean? It's gotten out of hand. What do either of those demographics have to do with hipsters? Even when I do come across an accurate description of someone/something that is a “hipster” (and they absolutely do exist), I still roll my eyes in cynicism. I sometimes scroll & read various status updates on my social media feeds about how much hipsters suck, and, without even knowing what's being referenced, I think to myself – “the people you’re complaining about right now probably aren't even hipsters”. Having a mustache and taking up residence in Williamsburg, Bushwick & Park Slope doesn’t equate being a hipster. But according to some people that seems to be the only requirement.

And I don’t want this to come off like I’m defending “hipsters” either. A lot of them do suck for various reasons ranging from entitlement & passive racism to the fact that I never know if they're being genuine or ironic. I’m just a little jaded towards folks who complain about them.

I think the main reason I love Rick Alverson’s The Comedy so much is because although I’m aware the entire film isn't just about “hipsters”, a nice chunk of it is firing shots at, or at least shining a spotlight, on people who could very well be described as such (the wiffle ball scene and all the house party scenes hammer this home to me). Up until a few months ago I didn’t think there’d be another film or show that would come close to what The Comedy did until I started watching Tim & Eric’s Bedtime Stories (at the suggestion of The Pink Smoke co-founder/PINNLAND EMPIRE contributor Chris Funderberg).

"Roommates" is, in my opinion, one of best, most layered looks in to the world of hipsters/people who think they know what hipsters are (and often times they don’t). It definitely travels down the path that Alverson’s The Comedy started (both The Comedy & T&E Bedtime Stories feature a lot of the same actors). "Roommates” is the story of "Franklin” (Tim Heidecker) & "Tony” (Eric Werheim) - two aspiring actors/performance artists/video bloggers who live together in Los Angeles (Tony also works as a Barista while Franklin moonlights as a “high-end” bartender). All is well between the two roommates until they find themselves at odds when Tony starts up a kinky sexual relationship with Franklin's mom.

At first glance a lot of people might think Tim Heidecker & Eric Werheim are making fun of hipsters. Not only are Franklin & Tony’s various occupations stereotypical hipster jobs (blogger, barista, performance artist), but they also sport a particular style of facial hair, dress semi-ironically/semi-fashionable, and they speak/communicate in nonstop semi-quirky one-liners. 

But what makes this episode so brilliant is that Tim & Eric are really making fun of the (sometimes inaccurate) idea that people have about hipsters. Sure, there are some light jabs at actual hipsters, but at the end of the day they’re taking it a step further by making fun of people who make fun of what they think hipsters are. And there’s an additional layer to all of this because I don’t think a lot of people who are critical of “hipsters” will even get that they’re the ones kind of being made fun of here. Not to discredit the intelligence of some folks but I don’t think everyone gets what Tim & Eric did here. For example, any piece of writing I’ve found on this particular episode (or the series in general) doesn’t go away any further than; “Tim & Eric make fun of hipster culture”. But “hipsters” (whatever that even means at this point) make up a large majority of the Tim & Eric fanbase. Those guys are known to push buttons & be off-putting  but they know where their bread is buttered. They don’t want to completely alienate and full out make fun of the people that essentially put money in their pockets.

Episode one of T&E’s Bedtime stories (“Holes”) is by far my personal favorite but Roommates is definitely worthy of the most analysis & discussion beyond “this is hilarious”. If you have a Hulu+ account I highly recommend watching this episode (and the entire show) even if you aren't a Tim & Eric fan.

WRONG REEL EPISODE 115: KNIGHT OF CUPS!

I had the pleasure of talking about Terrence Malick's latest film Knight Of Cups on the Wrong Reel podcast yesterday. Make sure to read my thoughts on the film from a few months back to go along with the episode:

Knight Of Cups

The Cinema Of Terrence Malick Part Three

and check out the Wrong Reel review while you're at it.

enjoy...

And don't forget to rent/stream/purchase Bill Plympton's latest short film (produced by Wrong Reel host James Colbrax) on vimeo...

The Loneliest Stoplight from Bill Plympton on Vimeo.

THE CINEMA OF ANDREA ARNOLD TOLD THROUGH IMAGES & STILLS

My relationship with the filmography of Andrea Arnold is incredibly strange. Red Road is the only film of hers that I really love (and still do to this day). I was a little disappointed by Wuthering Heights, the main reason I really liked Fish Tank was because of the (unexpected) classic hip-hop soundtrack (Nas, Gangstarr, Eric B & Rakim, etc), and while I enjoy Wasp (her Oscar winning short film), the lead character was very frustrating (at the end of the day I think she's an incredibly irresponsible mother yet I feel like we're still supposed to kind of like her and I just don't). But maybe that's the point...

But even with all that said, there's still something about her style that motivated me to do this entry.

I didn't realize I was such an Andrea Arnold fan/defender until Pink Smoker Chris Funderberg referred to me as such in a Sundance piece on Wuthering Heights a while back. After reading his thoughts I thought to myself; "Am I an Andrea Arnold defender?" Then I thought back on how the first time I met Chris a decade ago I defended Red Road right out of the gate. A few years after that I went to see Fish Tank with PINNLAND EMPIRE contributor Doug Frye and found myself kind of defending her work again after sensing he wasn't that impressed (I also defended Fish Tank to PINNLAND EMPIRE contributor Ian Loffill a year after that). I even still want to love Wuthering Heights when I know I shouldn't (I was definitely disappointed but there is an ambiance to that film that I am drawn to).

So I guess I am an Andrea Arnold defender.

But no matter what criticisms I have (this is definitely the most critical "cinema of" entry to date), I still think she's a unique voice in arthouse cinema and her work is worthy of the analysis below.


Enjoy...

FEMALE LEADS

Andrea Arnold's films are always told from the perspective of a female protagonist (naturally there are a few exceptions as she has quite a few important male supporting characters, but at the end of the day her films are geared towards the female point of view). If you look at Arnold's entire body of work as one continuous story it's almost like we're watching one amalgamated woman grow up through her movies. With Fish Tank, Dog & the first half of her (LOOSE) adaptation of Wuthering Heights we get that adolescent/coming of age period. In Wasp she focuses on women in their 20's (who all have some maturing to do), while Red Road & Milk both focus on more mature women in their 30's.

Fish Tank

Milk

Red Road

Wasp

Wuthering Heights

American Honey

This branches off to the female-specific subcategory of motherhood...

MOTHERHOOD

Not only do Arnold's films feature mothers, but their children are always girls (Jackie's deceased child in Red Road was a girl & the mother in Wasp has three daughters) so we get this common theme of the relationship between mothers & daughters...

Red Road

Fish Tank

Wasp

SEXUAL TENSION BETWEEN MEN & WOMEN

A separate analysis could be written on the sexual friction/tension between men & women in the films of Andrea Arnold (this is something I don't think she gets credit for). The politics concerning gender in her movies are always on the nose but interesting nonetheless. Like her exploration of females at various stages, each of her films shows the classic, yet not always positive, sexual relationships between men & women. In Red Road we see the main female lead use sex as a trap (it's a bit more complicated than that but that's what it is on the surface).

In Fish Tank we see the age-old tale of the older man preying on the younger vulnerable girl. And in Wuthering Heights we see the sexual curiosity of young boys & girls in the midst of puberty...

Wasp

Red Road

Wuthering Heights

Fish Tank

American Honey

THE PRESENCE OF ANIMALS & INSECTS

The life of an animal or insect often mirrors that of a character in an Andrea Arnold film. In Red Road, Jackie (Kate Dickie) is still grieving the loss of her husband & daughter. All while this is happening she becomes fascinated with a sick dog that lives in her neighborhood. By the end of the film that dog dies and the owner gets a new a dog which mirrors Jackie getting on with her life and moving past the loss of her family. Arnold kind of recreated this human vs animal relationship in her next film. In Fish Tank, Mia becomes strangely fascinated with a wild horse (just like Jackie's relationship with the sick dog in Red Road). By the end of the film the horse dies just as Mia moves out of her Mother's house to be independent.
Some might say her use of animals is a bit cliche (and it kind of is), but it's still an important part of her work. 

Even when she isn't using animals in a symbolic/metaphorical way, they're always present in the background of all of her films (at a Q&A for Fish Tank I attended a few years ago, Michael Fassbender made it a point to bring up Arnold's love of animals)

Wasp

Fish Tank

Fish Tank

Red Road

Red Road

Wuthering Heights

Wuthering Heights

Wuthering Heights

American Honey

THE PRESENCE OF CHILDREN/YOUTH

Not to compare young children to animals, but Arnold's use of children mirrors her fascination with animals. Children & Teenagers either represent growth and/or transformation, or they're always present in the background...

Fish Tank

Fish Tank

Wasp

Wuthering Heights

Wuthering Heights

RECURRING SHOTS

Fish Tank

Red Road

Wuthering Heights

Fish Tank

American Honey

Red Road

Red Road

Wuthering Heights

Fish Tank

Red Road

Wuthering Heights

MOST RECURRING THEME: VOYEURISM/SPYING

Red Road

Red Road

Red Road

Wuthering Heights

Wuthering Heights

Fish Tank

American Honey

Fish Tank

RECURRING SETTING: DREARY BACKDROPS

Dog

Fish Tank

Red Road

Wuthering Heights

(POSSIBLE) INFLUENCES ON ANDREA ARNOLD'S WORK...

Wuthering Heights / Othello (Obviously her adaptation of Wuthering Heights is based on the classic book, but by making Heathcliff black and rearranging other elements of the story, she essentially transformed Wuthering Heights in to Othello in an abstract kind of way. This is something she had to be conscious of...)

Wuthering Heights/Virgin Spring

Red Road/Ratcatcher

Red Road / Fear X

Wuthering Heights / Valhalla Rising

Fish Tank / American Friend

THE UNSPOKEN: FACIAL EXPRESSIONS & BODY LANGUAGE

Like her other (female) contemporaries we've explored in previous entries (Claire Denis, Lynne Ramsay, etc), Andrea Arnold has the ability to convey a thought or a strong feeling without any dialogue. You can see the fear in Kate Dickie's face below (there is almost no dialogue spoken in the scene where this image is taken from) and the way young Catherine bites her bottom lip in Wuthering Heights shows a sexual curiosity towards Heathcliff....

Red Road

Wuthering Heights

Fish Tank

LONELINESS

Arnold's (main) characters are almost always introverted loners (sometimes holding in explosive rage like in the case of Mia in Fish Tank & Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights). Her teenage female characters in Dog & Fish Tank are in that confusing awkward hormonal period. A depressed Jackie (Red Road) keeps to herself after the loss of her family. Heathcliff (Wuthering Heights) is forced to be a loner given his race & living situation (a black orphan that isn't accepted by the community he lives amongst).

Dog

Fish Tank

Fish Tank

Red Road

Wuthering Heights