This week in NYTimes Arts, 12/12-12/14
Well it’s here… [tearing up] …the last time this semester that I’ll be requiring you to tell us what interested you in the NYTimes Arts section! Remember to save your comments on your own computer, in case of any future crash.
PS It looks like the bugs with video uploading are being worked out as I type so check back for an update on how to do that.
63 comments
*Sob*
In Friday’s New York Times, I found the article “Orchestrating an Ogre’s Monster Makeover” to be pretty interesting. The box-office hit “Shrek” had made its way from a book to a movie. This Sunday, “Shrek” will have made a new debut as a musical. The new Broadway show will be running nearly 1 hour longer than the movie, at about 2 and a half hours, and promises to give us a little more insight into the characters than the movie did.
When William Steig first wrote his book “Shrek,” he meant for the pictures in the book to tell a bit of a story of their own. However, the story that Mr. Steig originally told in his book was nothing like what DreamWorks Productions made his movie. This inconsistency caused the composers and lyricists to have difficulty incorporating the layered stories of the book along with the different adjustments the cinema producers made into the new musical. It didn’t take the producers much time to adjust the musical to be almost entirely like the hit movie.
There were two big differences that this new musical has that will differ from the movie. Since it is a musical, “Shrek the Musical” will allow us to get inside the heads of the characters more than we were able to during the movie. Each time a character sings a song, we get a little insight that we otherwise would not have gotten by watching the movie. The other thing that separates this musical from the movie is its opening scene. It been a while since I have actually watched the original “Shrek,” but I don’t think that there was ever a scene that showed us Shrek’s parents, or how he became so introverted in the first place. In the opening scene of this play, we learn that Shrek’s hermetic nature comes from how he was raised as a child. His parents warned him that the world was out to get him, and urged him to avoid any relationships with the outside world. With this new scene and the essential nature of a musical, we get a very unique insight into the characters that we didn’t get from the movie.
-Edited, Thanks Lelia
I also wanted to point out that, until I met Chang, I never would have realized how well-structured Lincoln’s jaw was and how much it told about his character. I also find it quite peculiar that artists and New York Times journalists start to talk about his jaw after Chang pointed it out. If I may quote from Edward Rothstein’s article in today’s paper, “…you can glimpse the interior man in the subtle musculature of the jaw, the high cheekbones, the expansive, smooth brow. He is determined, vigorous and (we know) ambitious.”
I think from what Walter said about William Steig’s book being tremendously short and simple compared to the movie would help movie directors a lot. Since it is only a children’s book, they could interpret the pictures the way they want to. We see now that their creativity turns out to be very successful.
” It didn’t take the producers much time to adjust the movie to be almost entirely like the hit movie.”
– Did you mean adjusting the musical to be like the movie, Walter? But then again, I might be wrong since its almost 3am; I just got a little confused.
Another article I read was “Jackman Is Chosen as Host of Oscars.” Academy Awards are trying something new and giving the job of hosting the Oscars to a movie star. Hugh Jackman is pretty popular among the movie industry. A big part of his success was from the movie X-Men. Having never finished X-Men myself, I’m not sure how much people like him. But several of his other movies were interesting to watch, especially the Prestige (I recommend if you want to strangle your brain a little bit).
The Academy Awards have been losing its audience lately and wanted to try something new in hopes of gaining viewers, especially on television. Hugh Jackman is allowed to choose what he wants to do with the show, though he has no experience with it. He has never even been nominated for an Oscar himself. Is he the best person to choose for this? Many people say he has artistic credibility, which is very important for the show. Let’s hope he can bring last year’s record low back on track.
lol I guess the site can’t tell time ):
Wow, we’re already at the end…
Looking back on the posts in this blog, I realized that even though this semester felt so complete, we were always lacking something. Or had too much of something, depending on your perspective. We lacked nudity.
“Always Comfortable in Her Own Skin” is an article about the recently deceased Bettie Page, a woman whose photogenic charm alone sexually charged the American perception of beauty. The article gives a history of Bettie’s career and expounds on the attention that she commanded from the public; but every celebrity has that mystique. Her career, although legendary, is ancillary to the revolution she led for beauty and nudity.
History will not look at Bettie as simply a stunning woman, but rather that she is the embodiment of beauty for her time. Her pictures encompass the precarious and ephemeral period between sexual restraint and sexual liberty. Interjected between when sex was considered as a private and unspoken affair and when sex was seen as raunchy and pornographic, Bettie’s influence can never be emulated in this country. A suggestive body that wears an innocent carefree smile, a Madonna-whore dichotomy that simultaneously evokes confusion and appreciation. The strange beauty that is stripped away by any attempt from the beholder to find sense and reason. That is art: vibrancy and life that springs forth effortlessly.
Rest in peace, Bettie.
lelia, thanks for noticing the time thing, i think i fixed it now-
From the Friday NYT I wanted to comment on “The Geometry of Desire, and the Hunt.” Its about the movie “In the City of Sylvia”. I thought this might sound interesting, but after reading the review I was quite turned off. It is a simple story about a man returning to France to find a woman he once met named Sylvia. He spends basically all his time wandering around the city to find this lady. There is’t much of a plot except he goes into cafes and bars to stare at women to find his “Sylvia”. Definitely a movie I would not watch.
Another great article was “Calder’s Precious Metals: Who Needs Diamonds?” Just yesterday I was googling up Calder Jewelry because there’s going to be an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art so this article definitely caught my attention. His work is so different because it consists of only brass, steel, ceramic, and glass. There are no diam0nds or precious gemstones in his designs. There was picture of earrings he made worn by Mary Rockefeller that were extremely large and mobile like. I thought the earrings was very bold and definitely not something every woman could successfully pull off. A lot of his works also consisted on spirals. I wonder how he makes them so evenly rounded.
I also read the article ““Orchestrating an Ogre’s Monster Makeover” like Walter and Leila. I’m so excited about the musical because I’ve been waiting for it to come out. I think its good that the musical will give more insight on the characters. I’m sure it will also be funny because of the article also joked about Shrek having a nightmare about kids who would not stop kissing or hugging him.
In Friday’s NYT, I read the article “The Body Politic: Gorgeous and Grotesque”. The article describes figurative painter Marlene Dumas’s paintings leaving the viewer hot or cold. I did not really understand what that meant. The article says that the artist’s intentions were to show social oppression but that she did not do this well. The paintings do have a specific theme and style but the styles were not fully developed yet. The review was pretty negative so I decided to check the paintings out in the multimedia section. I did not particularly enjoy them because I do not usually like figurative paintings. But some of the images were really powerful. Also in this article I realized how important a curator’s job was. They have to understand the artist’s intentions and display the artworks correctly or the significance will decrease and the audience will not have get the same message.
I also read the article “Between Heaven and Earth, Room for Ambiguity”. The plot seems interesting for the movie “Doubt”. But what interested me more was the topic of ambiguity. I hate ambiguous endings that leave the viewers to guess what happened. But ambiguous stories where you do not know who the protagonist is or who the antagonist is, I don’t mind. These stories get you to think more about both sides. This always helps you understand the story more and makes the story more realistic. Stories with clear heroes and villains have been around for centuries. Although I enjoy them, stories with ambiguities turn out to be very interesting also. It is a different style. But still I like clear endings, whether they are happy or sad. When you have to guess an ending it is annoying and I gives you no closure, which makes me think I have wasted time watching the movie.
Clint Eastwood is a silver screen god. He has directed 29 feature length films in his illustrious (understatement) career and has acted in countless others. The man is a model of decency, endurance, dedication, and greatness. I personally have loved every film he’s ever directed, including such greats as Mystic River and Million Dollar Baby.
“The Films Are For Him: Got That,” is a rather interesting New York Times article by Bruce Headlam. Upon first view of the Times page, I was immediately taken back by the high resolution image of Eastwood at the top of the page. Even at 78, he is still an incredibly intimidating figure. His gaze pierces right through me.
That being said, I’m very hyped up for his two latest films, Gran Torino and Changeling. Both are generating some Oscar buzz, but I don’t think either will end up with an award (sorry for posting nonstop about movies, it’s kind of my thing). I very much enjoyed Mystic River and felt that the acting was beyond superb. I can’t imagine Eastwood would disappoint this time around. Assuredly, Eastwood’s butt fits, nay BELONGS in the director’s chair.
I loved the format of the article. The author sort of weaves in an out of the interview and his discussion about the films. In my mind’s eye, the author has essentially torn down an imaginary curtain between the interviewer/interviewee and the actual content of the discussion. I found this aspect of the article to be rather interesting.
The author’s respect for the legendary Eastwood is also quite prevalent in the writing. The author describes, jokingly, having to prepare three days in advance to shake the man’s hand. Such humor being interjected is juxtaposed masterfully with Eastwood’s intimidating presence.
The author goes on to say, “What we admire about heroes (and villains) like the ones Mr. Eastwood used to play isn’t their sensitivity, it’s their single-mindedness.” I personally couldn’t agree more. One of the biggest mistakes that a director can make is sacrificing character development for cheap thrills. Eastwood has always been inclined to focus on character development, as with the kidnapping of the young boy in the aforementioned Mystic River and his eventual transition into manhood.
The author also says, “After Walt [the protagonist of Gran Torismo] beats up one gang member — hey, he’s still Clint Eastwood — the next scene shows him out of breath, struggling to open his front door.” I hate to see Clint Eastwood act in this manner. It forces me to reminisce about Eastwood’s roles as a much younger man, specifically in The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. I acknowledge the fact that he is merely acting, but I find it hard to come to terms with the fact that he’s no longer the ON-SCREEN legend he once was. Regardless, he still has quite some fight in him for an elderly man.
Clint Eastwood is an amazing man with an equally amazing name. He will continue to grace moviegoers with his unparalleled acting and directing prowess.
In Sunday’s New York Times I read the article, “For Him, Laughter Was the Best Therapy.” The article was about the old Comedy Central cartoon, ““Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist.” I think I’ve personally seen it on TV about 3 times. The show started in 1995, and ran for 6 seasons before ending. Now you can buy the entire series on DVD.
The cartoon was one of the first of its kind, but it slowly declined in popularity as more irreverent and vulgar shows like “South Park” started to grow in popularity. Dr. Katz had some very gentle humor, providing us with a few chuckles rather than the sudden outbursts we get from shows like “Family Guy.” Each episode was about therapy, relating back to the creator’s 20 years of talking to psychiatrists. Over the years, the show featured many guest stars including Conan O’Brien, Rodney Dangerfield, and Ben Stiller.
One of the more interesting things about the show was “Squigglevision.” If you watch 3 seconds of the show, you’ll know exactly what they mean by it. And after another 3 seconds, you’ll know whether you hate it or love it. Personally, the squigglevision was terrible for me. I almost felt nauseous while watching the one and a half minute clip online. The show got its animation from the relatively low expense and ease of adding it to the pictures. Although the squigglevision might not have been all that good, it did allow the show a means of standing out amongst the other Comedy Central cartoons.
The DVD is out there. If you’ve watched the show before and enjoyed it, I suggest you buy the DVD. However, “Dr. Katz” might not be for everyone. But if you want some cleaner, less vulgar cartoons than what’s on TV today, this DVD might be for you.
When I first heard of I.M Pei, the only thing that stuck in my head was how hilarious the name sounded. I learned later that he was a famous architect who designed famous monuments such as the National Gallery of Art in Washington and the Louvre museum in Paris. He is now 91 years old but is still designing buildings. His newest one is the Museum of Islamic Art has several hidden meanings attached to it one being that the past and present can co-exist harmoniously.
Pei’s first design was the Kennedy Library in Boston in the 1970’s, and he continued to build more significant monuments. He used to take several projects at a time, but now he can only handle one at a time. “His museum reminds us that building a culture, as much as a political or social agenda, can be an act of healing. Like all great art, it requires forging seemingly conflicting values into a common whole.” This museum will be one of his last before he can no longer design anymore.
Amazing looks, ability to sing, and a great actor, Hugh Jackman, is the one to host the 2009 Oscars? His movies were amaaazing. The Prestige and the 3 X-men were extraordinary. This guy is the luckiest guy ever. First of all, an actor, being put in several movies, he is rich (although money isn’t everything). He also has the looks. Looks that are so good, he was the cover on people’s magazine as “Sexiest Man Alive.” And now he has the honors of doing the Oscars. Oh wait. He doesn’t have EVERYTHING. His wife is pretty ugly… (Just kidding)
Well anyways, a problem that may arise in the Oscars is that there will be very few people attending. Last year, there were very few people that attended the Oscars–a low of about 32 million. 10 decades ago, 55.3 million people were tuned-in. The ratings have also dropped significantly. With Hugh Jackman as the host, we hope to see the ratings increase and not reach another record low. Hopefully more people will attend as well.
It’s sad that I.M Pei is designing his last museum. Although I think he should continue his works even after his death. By saying that it is his last piece, he is giving up anything he may potentially do. Who knows, he may not die until the age of 120. Elliot Carter can teach Pei a thing or two about not giving up.
Elliot Carter, just turned 100. He is a composer living in New York (which means we can visit him! Possibly). In the past decade, he was able to publish 40 of his works! Imagine that!? At the age of 90 until the age of 100, he was able to complete so many things, with 10 works in 2007, and 6 more this year. At the age of 91, he opened up his first opera. “‘He’s still writing at the top of his form,’ Mr. Levine said.”
Who would have ever though an old man like this would be able to be such a great composer? If I were his age, I would have given up by now and relaxed a little bit. Anyways, what I think is that I.M Pei should NOT stop designing. If he loves his job, then he should not quit, but instead, it should motivate himself to try harder, even if he is only able to complete one project at a time.
So the last NY Times has finally come to an end.
Although oftentimes, I did not find myself in the mood to read the articles, I enjoyed it, especially cause it broadened by knowledge to learn about some events. I was also able to read others’ opinions and debate with some people with opposing views. It was very fun, and even though this may be the last NY times post, I hope that we can continue to write on the blog about anything we find interesting.
Love you guys, and see you around.=)
Jewelry has always been a wearable and valuable art medium (my mom keeps my kindergarten pasta necklace in her bank safe). “Calder’s Precious Metals: Who Needs Diamonds?” is a review of artist Alexander Calder, who creates jewelry from materials like brass, steel, ceramic, wood, and glass. He has made 1,800 pieces over the course of his career, and many are on display at both the Whitney Museum and the Metropolitan Museum. Calder’s pieces are “self-consciously clever,” “one-of-a-kind ojects d’art”. They are unique in their simplicity—almost every piece consists of hammered, bent, or chiseled wire, and pliers marks are visible on unpolished surfaces. You can visit the Met now to view “Calder Jewelry”, an exhibit housing photographs and full display cases of Calder’s pieces. His pieces mostly attract women with “avant-garde tastes who like to make a dramatic entrance.”—two of his famous customers include Mary Rockefeller and Peggy Guggeheim. In my opinion, Calder’s work could be another example of “stuff” that people seem to randomly choose to be “art”, and I’d like to visit the exhibit to see for myself what the rage is all about.
I browsed through the “The 10 Best Books of 2008” as well, and was happy to see that Unaccustomed Earth had made the list. I read the book over the summer, and since then Jhumpa Lahiri has become one of my favorite authors. Her short stories are deceptively simple in terms of plot, but the messages she passes along in her writing are powerful and resounding. Anyway, I love her style of writing (she’s really big on detailed, nuanced descriptions), so I would read her books just for that reason anyway.
Sunday’s article, “Making Artistic Connections at a Subway Station” is interesting to read. $530 million is being used to transform the South Ferry station into something amazing. Beginning January, the artwork of Doug and Mike Starn will decorate the 1 train station. There will be curved glass from floor to ceiling and silhouettes of trees. From reading this, the artistic installations sound amazing and I would love to see it someday.
Mike and Doug Starn are two 47 year old identical twin brothers that finish each other’s sentences (that’s so cute). They have been working on this project for about 3 years–this is the most expensive train station art so far. The art is done through the program Arts for Transit. Projects are intended to last forever without intervention. Therefore, the materials used for the piece are very durable.
There will also be a mosaic–a topographic map of Manhattan. This seems like an interesting thing to look at. One day, I will definitely see this amazing piece and hopefully agree with the Starn brothers when they say, “It’s simple and complicated at the same time.”
I think spending 530$ million on just the staten island ferry is pretty stupid. Although it may affect me because I take the ferry now and then, I think the 530$ million should be used elsewhere. Such as making a train that travels on lexington so it is easier for us to travel to baruch.=) Well, we’re already in debt and that kind of money spending to affect the only the people who travel to and fro staten island is pretty stupid. Same goes for the 1 train. Using money just for decorations is pretty stupid. As long as it is clean and functions well, we shouldn’t spend more on decorations. However, I DO want to see the artistic installations though=). Sounds cool, haha
To Walter’s post: I’m not surprised that Dr. Katz got owned by South Park. South Park is hilarrriouss!!! It is possibly the best show ever created. I suggest everyone to watch it. Especially the tonsil removal one=)
To Chang: Did you enjoy looking at pictures of Betty Page? Hehe
To Corey: Herpes.
To Corey: So I just saw the squigglevision like you suggested, and I also saw part of the show. I think the show could be funny, but having watched Family Guy, Futurama, The Simpsons, and South Park, it feels so insignificant. I think if that were the only show on, it would be hilarious. I’m pretty sure you agree, but the other shows are just so much more funny.=)
To Joe:
I suggested no such thing
oops, I meant Walter=p
To Joe: Chlamydia.
I guess you’re on my mind all the time even when I’m reading someone else’s post ^^
To Corey: Neurosis
To Joe: Hemorrhoids.
To Corey: Spermicide
To Corey: I think this IDC class strengthened our friendship. Haha
To Zoe: Thanks=)
<3 Joe.
Last one.
To Joe: Eunuch.
To Walter: Hermaphrodite.
Think back to 2002, a complicated year in the history of our nation. Our economy had been hit hard by the 9/11 devastation. The No Child Left Behind Act was signed into law by President Bush. Muse came out with a new album. What stands out most to me, however, was the pedophilia scandal that rocked the nation’s churches. Comedians had a field day with it, sure, but the events that had transpired would change the way we look at priests forever.
That being said, the scandal was one that touched us all. Having such a profound impact on the history of our nation, it’s no wonder that Hollywood has decided to stick by it’s firmly held belief that sex sells….no matter the context.
“Doubt” was an amazingly written film review in the New York Times by Manohla Dargis. Being that I JUST mentioned Dargis in a previous comment, I personally feel the New York Times is working him too hard. Regardless, he keeps producing quality reviews, this one being no exception.
Philip Seymour Hoffman and Meryl Streep star in “Doubt,” a drama which deals with the aforementioned pedophiliac priest scandal. Dargis gives the film an overall positive review, especially noting Streep’s performance as “shaking up the story’s reverential solemnity with gusts of energy and comedy.” I don’t know about you Meryl Streep fans out there, but I don’t usually expect this from the characters she portrays. I think she was mis-casted as a nun. Totally unbelievable.
At one point, the author says, “As its title announces, “Doubt” isn’t about certainty, but ambiguity, that no man’s land between right and wrong, black and white.” I think I should petition for a raise for this Dargis fellow. How amazing is that sentence? It epitomizes the caliber of writing that I expect from the New York Times. It also perfectly summarizes the focus of the movie: ambiguity. The subject matter is still considered by many to be taboo, and this ambiguity will likely give the film great depth. I feel that ambiguity (among other things) is greatly lacking in modern cinema.
To Hollywood: More Donnie Darko, less Die Hard.
As much as I like the man’s writing style, I have to criticize his inclusion of a ridiculously long plot summary. One essential element of going to the movies is that of surprise: If I go into a film knowing every single action the protagonist will take an an interpreted motive behind said action, the fun is sapped out of the film.
It’s also rated PG-13, so moviegoers shouldn’t expect anything explicit.
Damn.
To Corey: Did you know PG-13 movies are allowed one profane word? =) maybe you can expect some explicit language at least
Last entry =(
I read “Consequences of Going to the Tape” and I am torn between whether recorded music and live music is better for dances. For some reason live music is more beautifully. But if they have to play a set piece, does it matter if the music is live or recorded? If I had a choice I would probably choose live. But if the music was recorded, it could have more diversity because they could add different sounds mechanically. Also the live performers might make a mistake. I always feel nervous that the performers and musicians would not sync with each other. I think musicians are under appreciated. They are usually under the stage and not really noticed, but they work really hard. Also now that people are going for recorded music because of the cost, fewer musicians will be needed and they will need jobs. This made me think that maybe this is why people do not go into art for a career. Art is a leisurely thing so when hard economic times come art will be the first thing that they will not need. Only a few succeed so it’s a risky career. Anyways, it is sad that live music is being replaced by recorded music.
haha oops this is my last entry
I was excited for the movie Valkyrie. I am not particularly a fan of Tom Cruise but the subject matter seemed interesting. I never knew there was an assassination plan for Hitler. I feel bad for movies that have the potential to be good but the pre-movie issues get in the way of it. Publicity can be good for a movie but it can also really hurt it. With today’s technology everything spreads very fast. I find that this can be a good thing and a bad thing. Sometimes bad reviews are true but other times I do not agree with a review and like the movie or play.
To Corey: Topic is… Flowers
To Joe: Munificence.
Look it up.
To Corey: Sakura
To Joe: Daisies.
Pushing them.
To Corey: Vicissitude
Look it up
To Joe: Catharsis.
To Corey: Microscopic teeth
To Joe: The Wonder Girls suck.
To Corey: You’re a jerk..
To Joe: Muse Sucks.
To Corey: If Muse sucks, the Wonder Girls blow.
To Corey: I win
To Zoe: We’re very sorry for this. All my idea.
To Zoe: Corey Don’t take the blame for it.
From the Sunday NYT I thought “For I. M. Pei, History Is Still Happening” was an interesting article about Mr. Pei and his architecture for the Museum of Islamic Art. The building is very beautiful and clean looking. It’s a very neutral looking building almost resembling a monument. The article also talked about Mr. Pei traveling around the world for projects and then he come up with a drawing plan. In addition they mention that most architects try to expose problems in society rather than establish peace and that Mr. Pei is one of the architects that try to establish peace. He sees history as a smooth process rather than bumpy road with twists and turns. I thought this was interesting because his building that evoke that feeling. I hope to see more works from Mr. Pei.
I also thought “Villain of the Afternoon, 28 Years Later” was another great article. For a second I thought the article was talking about a real person but actually it’s the fictional character called Victor Newman of the show Young and Restless who is a wealthy and powerful man. It was interesting reading about the character’s personality because he is the ideal businessman. Someone who is an orphan that accumulates wealth through clever schemes beating out competitors. He has been through plenty of divorces and re-married many times. Newman will go all out to destroy his enemies and those who betray him but reward loyalty generously. Although I’ve never watched this show I can see why it’s appealing to watch this show because his power and money creates drama.
I’m glad to see that, eventually, Joe and Corey are capable of exerting some self-control.
We’ll miss these times Zoe=(
To Zoe: Surrealism
That was a very long scroll down to get here.
joe and corey. I will miss your never ending disagreements.
this weekend, I found the article “The Belching Ogre at the Broadway teather Has A Song in His Heart.” I thought to myself, “belching ogre” sounds familiar. But never would I have guessed that Shrek was now on Broadway. Opened last week on Sunday night, Shrek, once a fun-filled movie hit the stages and became a musical. I was pretty upset when shows such as Rent and Les Misérables had ended. But when new shows such as Shrek come out, I’m quite excited. I’m looking forward to watching a song and dance filled Shrek. The only part of the movie that there was song and dance was at the end of the movie. But Shrek: The Musical is going to be non-stop singing and dancing. How exciting! But then again, it’s disappointing how even broadway is turning movies into broadway such as how Hollywood is turning comics into movies. I just hope that when I get the chance to watch Shrek the Musical, it won’t leave me disappointed.
I used to take the ferry everyday during my high school days. When I saw this article, “Making Artistic Connections at a Subway Station” I was interested. In January 2009, brothers Mike and Doug Starn will reveal their $530 million installation at the South Ferry Subway Station. This installation is the first public artwork by the brothers. Consisted of trees and leaves the installations illuminate the station, or so they say. I’m considering taking the ferry in year 2009 to see the new addition. The title artwork from before are all boring and dull after seeing them for 4 years. Those work were probably there for much longer. It’s like taking a breath of fresh air. New and refreshing. This new set up will make it a lot more interesting the trips from Manhattan to Staten Island. Not to mention that it will most likely bring more tourists to that area, thus making my travel home more difficult.
Wow, last post already…
Like a few others did, I also read “Making Artistic Connections at a Subway Station”… I’ve never really had to take the ferry much before (considering I’ve never really had a reason to go to Staten Island) it is a bit difficult to understand the attraction… Although I agree that it IS decorative and very pleasing to look at (artwork and a nice design in general can do wonders to liven up anything dreary-looking; some subway stops do look pretty dumpy…), I’m not sure if that kind of thing is really worth $530 million… I think there are some more useful ways to spend that kind of money, personally. But maybe that’s just me… ^^;
I also read “The Films Are For Him. Got That?” just because I’ve been wondering exactly why Clint Eastwood has decided to do yet another movie. Don’t get me wrong, he’s legendary and all, and I certainly don’t have a problem with him directing if he wants to. But… “Gran Torino”? It seems like such a throwback to the genre of his earlier films. I hope it doesn’t come out lame like “Rambo 4″– not that I’m equating Clint Eastwood with “Rambo 4″ (ugh), but you get the idea I hope. You can’t help but feel a little less excited at the idea of seeing an old dude fight crime… But apparently it is amazingly well done! (I’m hoping that he is not garnering Oscar attention just because he is old, legendary, and DOES deserve an award– even if it’s not for this movie.) I suppose I’ll just have to see for myself some time.
wow, I can’t believe the semester passed by so fast.
). The story here is almost similar to many of the other aliens invading earth movies we’ve seen; here, Keanu Reeves plays the lead as the alien Klaatu, who’s come to earth with an agenda to help facilitate, as calmly and smoothly as possible, the annihilation of the human race. This remake of the 1951 version should be “better” in terms of its special effects, special technology and all. Actually, my friend watched it opening night and the only thing that stuck in his mind was Keanu Reeves’ character because it reminded him so much of Neo(Matrix). I’ve heard quite a few people comment on the “deadpan basso and permanently perplexed features” Reeves is best at and the similarities between “The Matrix” trilogy and “The Day the Earth Stood Still”. I’m predicting, though, someone will manage to get Reeve’s alien to sympathize and give the humans another chance because even though most of these films strike fear in the hearts of many of an impending doom, it always ends with a comforting victory for the human race.
I’ve found that people seem to have a knack for leaning towards very dooms-day-esque movies such as “War of the Worlds” or most recently, “The Day the Earth Stood Still”. Although I haven’t seen the film myself yet, the review in Friday’s Times kind of ruined the hype for me ( BUT I’m still going to watch it
I’ll admit, I’m a movie fanatic! I already have a list of movies that I want to watch before the end of this year and even more for next year’s releases. I don’t have just one particular favorite genre because I get interested in the most random genres over time. MOVING ON! In yesterday’s times, there was an article on Tom Cruise’s new film “Valkyrie” which i remember reading about online a few months back. I’m not really a big fan of Cruise because he seems to have the same expression in every film and throughout the film such as with the countless Mission Impossible movies. While Cruise was filming this movie in Germany, there was some problems with the locals who were displeased with his religion of choice, Scientology which caused some dissent or something of the sort. Anyway, after reading about film and the historical backdrop behind it, I really wanted to watch it, for some reason. (I remember seeing it in the previews when I went to the movies a few months ago and deciding I wouldn’t watch it. Silly me!) The film follows Col. Claus von Stauffenberg, a leader of a failed attempt to assassinate Hitler in ‘44. Typically, with these historical films, the end is no surprise since we know Hitler wasn’t killed one of his own men at all. Despite the predictable end and Tom Cruise’s questionable acting, the film’s trailer seemed to be pretty fast-paced and suspenseful to keep audiences at the edge of their seats throughout the movie. :]
Just like Katherine, I read “Making Artistic Connections at a Subway Station.” When I think of a subway station, I am stuck with an ugly image of 7 train station, which I really detest. The South Ferry subway station, however, changed my views on what a subway station can be (Excluding the Grand Central). The $530 million installation by Starn brothers sounded amazing: curved floor-to-ceiling glass walls laced with silhouettes of trees, a marble mosaic of a vintage topographic map of Manhattan, and other imagery drawn from nearby Battery Park. Wouldn’t it be nice if my subway station had such elements! A trip from Staten Island to Manhattan will be pleasant, but what about from Queens to Manhattan?! I mean I am excited to hear about the new station and want to go visit, but why would MTA spend so much money when it already needs money and is thinking of raising the price for each fare? Maybe there was something more to it than my questions. Well, I cannot wait till January 2009, a time when I will get to see the station with my very own eyes.
hahaha Joe and Corey obviously this became a part-time chatting room for you guys
Just to clarify regarding the subway station design article, the total price tag for the station was $530 million; the cost of the art component was $1 million (or, .02% of the total project cost). The art did NOT cost $530 million.
In NYC and other places, there is a ‘Percent for Art’ program that mandates that all new publicly-funded construction must set aside 1% of the project budget to be spent on public art. [FYI, this is one reason why there is art in Baruch's Vertical Campus.] Subway construction is financed with your tax dollars, so they must follow the Percent for Art mandate, which is why there is art in a lot of subway stations. But again, the Starn brothers’ design cost .02% of the total project budget, so in theory you might expect that you could get 50 such installations at that single site. (Will you get 50? I doubt it.)
So my question is, do you think that spending 1% (or .02%) of the project budget on art is a poor use of funds?
Although it is only 1 % and 1 million, and as much as we all love to see art in our travels, I think it is a poor use of funds. We are in a recession. Though the money can help provide jobs for many, I feel that there could be better uses for the money.
Even though it’s mandated, I agree with Joe that it can be seen as a poor use of funds. Especially with our economy, I think we could have cut back on some of that money. And thanks for pointing out that $530 million was for the whole station not the art piece.
“Dance audiences, I believe, have now got used to taped music, and you can get used to it, the same way you can learn to eat Spam instead of ham, or breathe smog instead of air. Your life is just diminished, and you don’t realize it until you see concerts such as we saw last month.” This is a memorable sentence from the article, “Consequences of Going to the Tape.” I cannot believe that our society is moving toward degrading performance arts. The main reason why I adore the Broadway shows are because they offer a series of live music that I cannot hear anywhere else. Although taped music with our current technology can offer multitude layers of sounds, it cannot emulate the liveliness and the intensity of live music. My excitement elevates whenever I feel the chemistry between the conductor and the performers and just like how the article said, recorded music cannot offer such spark. As for making a mistake, unlike Hea Jung, I feel that either way (whether they use taped music or live music) a performer or musicians are bound to make mistake at least once in their career life. They can learn from those mistakes. I rather see someone making a mistake with live music, as I recall a cute boy from Vienna choir who kept hiccuping during the performance. I could tell how nervous he was from his face expressions when he couldn’t stop hiccuping. I wish, with all my heart, that live music will live on.
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