NEW RON SEXSMITH MUSIC!
My friend Jessica Poundstone, a vigilant Ron Sexsmith fan, send me this today:
Well, you’re probably all over this, just haven’t gotten around to posting it on your blog yet (where the heck DO you find the time to write so voluminously there??? It’s staggering – I don’t make it over for a week or two and I have to take 45 minutes to catch up!) but there’s a sneak peak of a new song off of the new Ron “Sexy” Sexsmith album up at his site: Also, apparently, according to the “news” on his site, two of his songs were used in pre-packaged Olympic segments: “From Now On,” and, of course…..get ready for this one, I’m not making this up….”Gold In Them Hills.” Ba dum bum.
Ouch.
The song is from the upcoming Mitchell Froom-produced album Time Being, coming to stores May 16.
Oh, and the secret to relentless blogging, Jessica? It’s love. But you know that. That’s why you’re the most prolific baby-photo blogger I’ve ever seen.
F FOR FAILURE
Steven D. Greydanus reviews V for Vendetta. He gives it a big fat “F.” And Alan Moore has even more to say about why the film has spoiled his original vision.
ANOTHER GREAT FILMMAKER,
ANOTHER NASTY CARICATURE OF CHURCHGOERS?
Adam Walter reviews Steven Soderbergh’s Bubble. First, kind words. And then…
Wow – can’t believe I managed to be the first to let you know about *anything*! Very exciting for me.
The real reason I’m commenting is that I think Bubble deserves a much more careful viewing than Mr. Walter has given it. I’m not saying it’s one of Soderburgh’s very best, but I thought the film was a fascinating attempt to make a movie via a method (using non-actors, filming in their own town using elements of their real lives) that yielded a film with a very specific and unusual kind of atmosphere. (It’s as distinctive an atmosphere as the one Mike Leigh achieves using his methords.)
I’m tempted to do a point-by-point rebuttal of Walter’s review, since I disagree with nearly all of it. But due to time limitations, I’ll just take on this one. About the end of the film, Walter states:
“…Soderbergh is able to set up one character’s church experiences as the impetus for a heinous crime. And that’s the note the film ends on, and quite abruptly. Aha, another Christian loony–obviously that explains everything. Say no more, say no more.”
I didn’t love the end of the film either, but the motivations of the character Walter is referring to have nothing to do with Christian faith, and everything to do with a psychological dysfunction. (I don’t want to say too much – it would spoil the ending.) It’s for that reason that the ending falls a bit flat. You’re left with the feeling that the culprit is not truly at fault for the crime committed. But there are fascinating character studies along the way, and amazing performances by the non-actors throughout. Unexpected and intriguing relationships abound; the fact that they are set against such a dead-end town (it’s supposed to look bleak, Mr. Walter, because it in fact *is* bleak!) makes the characters’ investments in those relationships even more poignant. Plus a bonus: you’ll never shake the creepy-comical images of the dolls being manufactured at the factory where the main characters work – those alone are worth the price of the rental. So I say, give Bubble a chance!
That’s pretty cool…any idea if/when there’d be a new album?
–RC of strangeculture.blogspot.com