(Finally) The Last Two Films of 2007: Starting Out in the Evening and Ratatouille

Friday, December 28, 2007

I put Starting Out in the Evening as number 3 on my top ten list of movies for 2007, which came as a shock to me, even now, because it was a quiet film that came and went without much being said about it. Unlike the number 1 film on my list, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly it hardly caused a stir. And to that end, I might say a few extra words about The Diving Bell while I'm inspired, because as we know, the posts of late are mostly formed with brevity in mind. I do often wonder how one (me) puts it upon herself to think she might be able to write thoughtfully about every movie she sees, particularly when on busy weeks she can see up to 4 movies. Well, I suppose that is a whole other can of worms, so let us stay focused for a moment on The Diving Bell and the Butterfly before my mind wanders away.

A bit of a non-debate arose a few weeks ago at Tativille about The Diving Bell being manipulative with its subjective camerawork, invoking Brakhage's fresh-eyed concept of filmmaking while doing so (if I am understanding this argument correctly anyway), and finally, the problem being that Schnabel's aesthetic was a cakey version of it that exploited that style to make us feel more emotion in places where we perhaps would not have otherwise felt it. (Now say that sentence ten times fast!) But I think the whole trick of the movie is the opposite of anything Brakhage was going for, so to say it was "Brakhage for dummies" is a complete misnomer. Brakhage was about distorting our vision to give us impression of what it looks like to see something for the first time; Schnabel's character woke from his coma as himself, with full mental comprehension of who he was. Bauby wasn't reborn. His ongoing interior monologue establishes that, most beautifully with his sly sense of humor and sexual longings intact. A tacky ripoff of Brakhage, The Diving Bell is surely not. What was so lovely about Schnabel's film was just how much Bauby remained himself while finding a bit more meaning in everyday scenery. If nothing else, Bauby's paralysis is a growing experience that gives him more appreciation of humanity. And anyway, I don't think anyone who didn't like The Diving Bell is a monster, I just think they're offering a plain old provocation.

See what I mean? What chances did Starting Out in the Evening have against all that? I loved it anyways. Lauren Ambrose makes me tingle with her saucy literary wit and her off-kilter sexual advances. Author Leonard Schiller is the subject of Heather's (Lauren Ambrose) thesis, who she pursues with ravenous, passionate delight. She makes herself vulnerable, swiftly, unquestioningly, and in one of the oddest sexual exchanges on film. She shakes the contentment with mediocrity out of Leonard, and indirectly, with his daughter Ariel (Lili Taylor) in her fruitless relationship too. The performances from Ambrose and Taylor are admirable, but I have to take a one step back from that and note the script's saturation with strong female leads. Ambrose and Taylor's characters are just the type of women I long to see: strong, beautiful, sensitive and incredibly smart. They live with weighty emotional turmoil, but move with grace. They're full of faults but that's what makes them compelling and movable. I'm thinking of the ubiquitous Hollywood face of Katherine Heigl, off the top of my head, for instance, and as opinionated as she's made herself publicly, her onscreen life is rather dull despite her shiny exterior. What do I have in common with her? Her wardrobe? Her off the cuff quips a la Knocked Up and (at least from the previews of) 27 Dresses? It's an illusion. Heather and Ariel, to the contrary, are people I want to know, and people who make me feel like myself.



Monday, December 31, 2007

Well, New Year's Eve came and went with a cartoon and a bottle of champagne--alright, and a late-night serenade of Lionel Richie on network television. Big times. But no shame here at Seen, Ratatouille was great fun and a good story (made even better, I suppose, by bottles (plural) of wine. I realized watching the credits that this is a Brad Bird incarnation, the animation filmmaker who made the widely raved-about The Iron Giant; he is obviously a filmmaker to know more about, if only because he makes movies with real stories that aren't patronizing to kids: I will never watch The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A Veggie Tales Movie. There's not enough wine in the bottle.

How do you imagine yourself ten years from now?

Funny comment from a reader:

This is SO interesting. I'm an "old lady" by anyone's standards posting on this site. I was curious about this whole "emo" and "scene" thing as my niece has recently changed her look and style pretty drastically.

In some ways, in reading all these posts, I can only laugh... But the majority, I can totally relate to, appreciate, (and sigh!... remember) what it was like growing up, ESPECIALLY "coming of age" through the **`70's!** and partying even harder through the `80's (guess that tells you how really ancient I am..LOL)

...Anyway, we had the same diverse groups and identities, just with different names or interests than you do today. I'm sure it was all a little more "regionally" based back in my day too. We didn't have, or couldn't even fathom the the incredible technology available that you all have at your fingertips today. ("gasp"...Imagine to your horror, no cell phones, im, texting, ipods, video games, computers, internet etc..hell, even microwaves weren't really even around when i was in middle and high school)

...OK, all this "banter' is to prove my point. Styles, tastes, and interests change multiple,multiple, multiple times during your life. Enjoy it all while you're young, and hopefully have the sense to maintain your individuality and "morality", through out it all. Stay safe, show tolerance, and don't judge one another too harshly. Years from now when you're a wise, (but still cool!) aunt/parent etc. like me, you can look back at all the "stages" and decades of your life, and die of embarrassment, and laugh at yourself, on some of what you once thought was so cutting edge or cool!

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Emo Fashion Advice

by cakecake

If you truly want to change yourself and become emo, your going to have to undergo many stages, although you'll need patience.

Step 1.

Grow out your hair long enough to the point where the side bangs go past your chin, because that frames your face and makes your face look more slender, you can have the rest of your hair that length.

Step 2.

There are two options when it comes to hair straightening....

Option 1:

Buy a decent hair straightener, not some cheap one that you'll throw away in 3 months... One that will last you good as a buddy, seeing how you have curly hair, if you do have a decent hair straightener I suggest you put it on a high temperature, not too high or within months you'll get noticeable amounts of frizzy ugly nappy split end like hair. Also don't grab a chunk load of hair and straighten it... It will also result in nappy hair... If you have have curly hair, do each and every layer of hair in small smallllll portions. Get hair clips and get your top layers and clip them to your head, and slowly straighten the bottom layers little by little then move to the middle and then the top... To get a more straight look to your hair, brush a bristle brush (skinny brush) through a portion of hair your going to straighten and follow the brush. Also USE CONDITIONER if you dont or atleast hair care repair like hot shower oils or anti frizz from the drugstore, because your hair will get frizzy whether you like it or not no matter what kind of hair straightner you use.

Option 2:

Get it chemically straightened... Wait until your hair grows past your chin, and find a decent trustworthy salon and ask about chemical hair straightening. It usually costs around 150$-200$ depends.... and takes around 2-3hours. When you go to the salon get short layers at the top of the crown of your head that are the size of your finger and make the choppy layers, get aloootttt of layers! and get a few layers on your side bangs not to much to make them look too thin, they have to be longgg!(your side bangs need to frame your face). For your bangs I suggest you get a side swept choppy look that will hide your eyebrows somewhat (like a skater bangs but with more layers more unique) or fully grow out your bangs to your chin and cut it to the point to where you can pin your bangs to the side.

Also if you don't think your hair color doesn't suit your scene style, get it died a natural color range like ( black, brown, blonde) if you want blonde color then to pull it off your going to need a small face/small chin/slender face. Brown and black are easier to pull off and match the colors of your eyebrows. DONT GET THOSE HIGHLIGHTS EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT like (blue, red, etc) to pull that off once again your going to have a slender face, with good features, if not then youll look like a poser. Try not to overexagerrate scene/emo with those vivid colors try to stay a natural scene color.

Step 3.

If you want to poof up your hair like all the other scenesters, your going to have to tease it.
Your going to need LAYERS ( alot of layers on your scene hair or youll just look like a big mass of hair even though some scenesters ignore my warning and still look like they have a big head)

HAIRSPRAY (A GOOD HOLD )
BRISTLE BRUSH (SKINNY THIN BRUSH)
OTHER VOLUMIZING PRODUCTS.

1. your hair has to be clean and straightened.
2. go to youtube and look up "how i tease my hair" that will give you a tutorial..


Step 4.

Okay your going to need eyelash extensions... this is going to complicated at first because it took me forever to master it.
There are two different kids of eyelash extensions your can get.

The full eyelash products the full ring of eyelashes for one eye) or individual eyelashes (tiny seperate ones). You are going to have to find a tutorial to how to stick on that cause for me its hard to explain... Don't worry if you do buy one on a drugstore will cost 3-5$ and will come with directions and glue and additional info.

Step 5.

CUT YOUR EYEBROWS! GET THEM PLUCKED! not to the point to where you completely look demonic... I don't think you'll look good with drawing them on with a eyeliner pencil. Just a natural slender look, not too skinny. So just look up some photos of some popular scene guys and look for one who has a natural eyebrow shape, something that will match your the shape of your upper eyelid and will complete all your facial features.

Step 6.

Eyeliner and Makeup.
Eyeliner... DONT OVEREXAGERRATE IT AND LOOK LIKE A RACCOON. or a hamburgler. At first since your probably a beginner at makeup try the sides of your eyelids if your eyes are a decent amount far apart and the ends of your eyelids just on the outer sides. Also get a volumizing mascara to bring out your eyes and eyeliner, try exaggerating the edges of your lashes so bring them out, get a dark shade for mascara. YOU NEEEEDDD MASCARA! if you want a paler facade i suggest you buy the most palest decent concealer you can find in a drugstore. If you want to hide acne, then I suggest you get a powder compact or a concealer that matches your skin tone or is a tad bit more brighter. For eye shadow look for tutorials on youtube...

Step 7.

Shave any evidence of chin hair, facial hair SHAVE ITTT... It makes your skin look more clear. Shave especially if you have really dark dark dark hair as mustache hair.

step 8.

body.
Now I know Im being a real blunt.
If your really want this ideal image.
Lose weight.
If your slender and have a high metabolism, thats great your set!
You notice that these scene guys are skinny.
Dont go bulimic. Don't get too deep into turning yourself into something your not. Also I dont want you to hurt your body severely which bulimia can lead too same with anorexia. Just exercise and take in your daily amount of food. Scene guys are usually frail looking as in they are not muscular they don't have abs, they look great in fit teeshirts if they are frail looking, they have no muscles but look like a slender girl, it doesn't show the muscle outlines because they have none and they like the ideal scene make sure you lose belly fat and on your sides, that is a turn off. Make sure your legs are slender, no matter how short/tall you may be if you have slender legs your good to go for skinny jeans.

Step 9.

Cloth shopping
BIGG THING, usually your supposed to find your own unique fashion but i guess you have no sense whatsoever...
Sorry for being blunt but its true.

Okay what your going to have to shop for are usually band tees or vintage abstract tees. Don't get the mainstream ones unless you have a nice physique then its acceptable if not you will be criticized.... get bomber jackets ( fur plaid hoodies and are sometimes snug at the waist) if you have slender legs this is hella easy to pull off.
Get studded/vintage belts.
For shoes i suggest you get pumas/ airforce/ the hightop vans/ reebook/ cowboy/vintage boots(if you have a feminine slender body and face) usually sporty vintage/retro scene shoes are acceptable if you wear converses or very common van shoes that you cant seem to pull off you will be accounted as a poser...

Shop at
Urbanoutfitters
American Apparal
Some ebay vintage myspace shops
Fredflare.com
You can buy them online if you don't have one of them near you.
Look at what some of the vintage scene kids wear and update your fashion knowledge from there....


I hope I have overall shaped your appearance of a scene/emo kid.... :)