The Future

As I've mentioned before, I have mixed feelings about Miranda July. I surprised myself by really liking this movie.

Detroit

Much has been written about Detroit, and those who love ruin porn can find quite a bit to gaze at. I try to avoid falling into that trap too much (as tempting as it is) but I will say that I've always loved old signs and typography - from ancient laundries on the Lower East Side to fudge shops in southern Maine - so I feel pretty okay about documenting the terrific signage I saw on my Detroit journey.

Subway

This Film Is Not Yet Rated

Last week I took a fun, adventurous, enjoyable trip to Michigan. (Photos coming soon). I came back to New York majorly sleep-deprived and all I could do on Sunday was half-lay on my bed and watch non-challenging things on Netflix Instant.

One film that entertained and infuriated me in my pathetic state was This Film Is Not Yet Rated, which I highly recommend. It's light-hearted and funny and yet still reveals the problematic - and, frankly, misogynistic - aspects of American culture which play out in the ratings system. While it's obvious to most people that violence gets a pass and sexuality gets a disproportionate amount of scrutiny, there is also a pretty hefty bias against sex that isn't strictly heterosexual (or missionary or artificial-seeming.) It was frustrating to see how these archaic, puritanical influences have created real barriers for creative filmmakers, who simply want to release their films in theaters for adult audiences.

Vanity (Fair)

For a successful pin-up photo shoot, you need: a black backdrop, a camera, an assortment of retro outfits,  a few shots of Jim Beam. Optional, but very fun: free internet photo editing tools.

Happy 4th Weekend!

Collection of vintage 1980's fireworks packaging, via @rafikam.

Border Patrol

The Museum recently screened the film Dooman River and since it centered on my twin fascinations, China and North Korea, I stuck around after work to watch it. It's 90 minutes long, with very little dialogue, and I found it to be completely mesmerizing.

The film takes place in a small Chinese town, which sits across the border from North Korea, separated by a long stretch of frozen river. The inhabitants of the town are ethnically Korean, but have little in common with their starving brethren across the divide. Given the proximity, North Koreans constantly cross illegally to find food and, with any luck, freedom. With these social and political factors simmering under the surface, two boys from each side strike up an uneasy friendship. While there are one or two unfortunate instances of heavy-handed symbolism, for the most part, it's a beautiful, tough, spare film that left me reeling.

I'm now extremely eager to see Zhang Lu's other films. A recent interview with the director can be found here: Elusive Filmmaker Opens Up