Inked-- more modern art.

Now, this is one of my first art blogs I guess...I've just noticed how many people these days have been inked. Me, being interested in tattoo art always zooms in my eyes to look at the artwork and try to see the stories through the artwork. I am addicted to watching the tattoo shop shows--Tattoo Highway (a filler series on A&E), LA Ink, and the various segments on television talking about the art of tattooing. I have read Kat Von D's book, and am excited about her newest venture in writing another book. There are many styles to tattoos, as with any art. It is known that it started in Indian tribes, to permanently let others in the community know their rank in society and what they represent. Now in the Pacific area, they created what we know as Tribal tattoos. The lines and angular shapes forming to the person's body. When sailors would come back to the states or are on leave, they would decide to get inked, by simple old-school styles. The classic pin-ups and nautical tattoos were soon formed. There are all different styles out there, and it's hard to put that in just a simple blog. There are so many diverse artists and different areas of tattoos. From Kore Flatmo in picturesque portraits, to Dan Smith's amazing old school style, with bold colors and classic design. All the artists are amazing, an art that should be more recognized.

My Own Private Idaho

I picked up this movie, because it sounded interesting. Kind of like a guys "Thelma and Louise". The thing is, it's nothing like it. It is directed by the fantastic Gus Van Sant (Milk, Drug Store Cowboy, Paris Je T'aime) who also wrote the screenplay. Keanu Reeves and River Phoenix star in their challenging roles. Keanu plays a son to a rich matriarch, who is in his "street rat" phase and says "When I turn twenty-one, I don't want any more of this life....I will change when everybody expects it the least." River plays his best friend, who happens to be narcoleptic. In the beginning you see his character-- Mike, holding his thumb ready to leave this road, that looks like an "f***ed up face" in his hometown Idaho. The film goes through the lives of these men, who are male prostitues, Scotty (Reeves) does it only for money to men, while Mike isn't quite sure. They also search for Mike's mother and go on a road trip to try to find her. As Van Sant is a openly gay man, this film sort of shows the confusion a young man in trying to figure that out for sure. In this film, I seemed to see the contrast of the rich and poor, and how two people from opposite areas can be best friends. Kind of like a complicated version of "Fox and the Hound." The friendship is always there, and they will always be best friends. Despite their different backgrounds.
River is fantastic in this, and it is known as his best role before his tragic death. He plays a very complicated character, fantastically. While I was watching, a percentage of the time I was thinking is this another James Dean?? I know that he died young, by accident. Same as the iconic James Dean. He was wearing a red jacket as did James in "Rebel Without A Cause", and had much of the same attitude, and body language that he seems to have. Down to the hairstyle, I thought I was watching another Jimmy Dean. River's reactions to certain situations, and his character's seemingly bad childhood, just seemed to me from what I read to be so much like the James Dean we know and love. I know I don't want to be one of the people to typecast him as the "James Dean of 'so and so...' generation", but he was similar none the less. He has that charm, passion, rebel attitude with a general sweetness we just don't see anymore in young adult actors anymore. I saw his film "Stand By Me", and thought he was the baddest twelve-year old I've ever saw, but the best of friend. He will live forever in the roles he played, and as the road he mentions in "Idaho"..."This road will never end. It probably goes around the world." Your work will never be forgotten as the road will never end.

Paolo Nutini's Sunny Side Up

Paolo's new record, Sunny Side Up, is a very great cd. He takes more risk by co-producing it. The album has a much more folk focus, and you can tell how natural it is for him. It sounds much more from the heart. When Paolo talks about his influences, being soul and folk, and when you can hear it on the debut album "These Streets", it isn't as strong. It starts out with a love ballad "10/10". You can hear the jazz and sax influence from the beginning. In "Coming Up Easy" is talking about his parents and his dream to be as happy as they are. "Growing Up Beside You" is one of the most folky tracks on the record. One can hear the reverberations of the 50's and 60's artists of Peter, Paul and Mary and Joan Baez. One about growing up at 22. He seems to produce songs that seem to pass his age. "Candy" is his single, and it's about giving a little bit of love before he must go away. Very different from the bore of Top 40 radio. One of my favorite things about this album, that's different from his previous is that his charismatic accent being heard. It seems to be toned down in These Streets. Girls, who are his main demographic, love accents. He is not being safe and sticking to the pop norm. I applaud. "Tricks of the Trade" is about some things he learned while being away from his home in Paisley, Scotland. "Pencil Full of Lead" is next, and one of my favorite tracks. I was reading the inset of lyrics and I could tell what the beat was like, and loved it. It talks about how grateful he is and how he has everything he needs. The song also has this old jazz and vaudeville feel to it. Flappers dancing seem to fit right in. He then transitions to an old-school soul ballad, "No Other Way", about travelling and being away from his love, and seeing her again. In this modern folk song "High Hopes", discusses the idea of how the world has been decreasing slowly and his hopes for a better future. Truly about our predicament in this world, and I love the lyrics (Give me something to believe in, give me something to believe). "Chamber Music" sounds like an old throwback to the folk that he's inspired by, his voice drops and has a very simple instruments. Never a bad thing. The Bob Dylanesque "Simple Things", is a song all about his dad that he loves dearly. Thoreau would be proud. "Worried Man" appears to be a nod at Neil Young, with similar reflections as in "Needle and the Damage Done" and "Old Man". The album ends with a song about going away, "Rolling On" as if to just row on a quiet, still river lost in oblivion and in the trance of peaceful music. Overall, a refreshing range for Paolo, and creates many new opportunities and discoveries that he can pursue, and doing it with flying colors. I give it 4 stars.

The Big Lebowski

I watched this movie because of a few references I've heard on the show "Ace of Cakes", and it's the Coen brothers, and I've been in a mood to watch just about anything. This is the story of "The Dude" played by Jeff Bridges, with his friends "Walter" and "Donny". There are many important elements to this story, well with nihilists and everything. Oh ya, and there's another Lebowski, a severed toe with green nail polish, ransom, and a few White Russians...and bowling. It is a Coen brothers film, so there will be many confusing, random tangents of comedius proportion. Just saying... A film about some wierd twists, a Persian rug, and is good, but not bad, better than decent, and hilarious. And the movie just lets "the dude abides"...

The Wrestler

Mickey Rourke stars in this picture, and does a fantastic comeback into the movie industry again. He plays an down-and-out legend in the wrestling world from the '80s who is trying to find what life is about and how he must struggle to find his identity when he eventually can't wrestle anymore. From tanning to dieing his long, flowing hair beach blonde to keep up with his classic style, you see his life from his point of view. The fights, the relationships, the solitude in his lonely trailor. Maybe this movie also explores the idea of what happens to these amazing sport legends after their peak...I don't know. Darren Aronofsky directs this film with a raw, slow-paced style that only adds to understanding this picture. An great movie and gives one insight on how wrestling actually is.

One Major Pet Peeve of mine...

One major pet peeve of mine when watching movies, is never watching through the end. Huge annoyance to me, you are left with an assumption that may be completely wrong. YOU MUST WATCH FILMS TO THE END!!!!! In the last 10 to 15 minutes may actually make the movie worth it. If your left with what you want to happen, it may be wrong. Unless you read the spoilers...also a no, no. Movies are a complete experience, so leaving it your left without a clear understanding of the story. That's what movies purely are. Stories. I have stopped a few movies, but needs to revisit them and give them the attention they deserve. No matter how painful the movie may seem, watch it! And that's all she wrote...

"Born Into Brothels"

Today, I was flipping through the free movies on cable and I ran across this film. It's simply a story of several children living in the "red-light district" of Calcutta, India. They are given cameras by a local photographer (Zana Briski) who has lived independently in that portion of the city for many years and has connected with and loves the children she has met on her journey in India. The children are given cameras, and are told to take photographs of what they want and the lives they live. This film tells these children's stories, from their perspective and hers. It seems to be like "To Kill a Mockingbird" and a watcher can see the children transform as they find their sense of self and maturity. Zana gives the children photography classes, and many of the children are talented and it gives them hope of a better world than their reality which is living in brothels. The filmmakers wanted to help, and to expand the journey's these kids have taken and have their lives be better than the previous generation. They sent the children to boarding schools to change their surrounds and help, as the children asked them so. This film was beautiful, and let a new idea come to the surface to hopefully fix issues that the world always seem to contain. Films that take a call to action are the epitome of why documentaries are made, and they are liberating, as one tells their story, it gives another to have the freedom to say theirs. It's a mesmerizing process. They tells us a reality, one we must hear, despite the faults of our dreams -- even if we don't want to recognize it. These films remind us of the life outside our usual door, and may change our perspective on how we live our lives. Hearing the rhythmic patterns of the Bengali singing remind me of how cultures are so different, and how we must respect one another' culture when we perceive people in our daily life. We are all so beautiful in our differences. It's one thing that unites all humans and yet, differentiates us. These children have lives they must live through, and though this film being a few years aged, we must help the children. After all, they are the world that takes over after we leave.