I like to consider myself a little bit 'artsy fartsy'. I can generally 'see' whenever someone is trying to evoke a difficult emotion or message. I may not agree with it, but I do see. If I had the time, I really wouldn't mind going to an art gallery and just stop to smell the roses, as they say.
In my Philosophy class, we've been looking at some pieces of artwork, which I'm grateful for since I don't have the time to really just stop to learn about them. The assignments we get are really interesting, mostly ones that make you stop to reflect on the finer things in life. Unfortunately because I've been so stressed and too busy to actually stop and think, I haven't really been enjoying writing the papers. Nor am I doing as well as I could be in that class. We're supposed to submit a portfolio 10 pieces of our writings from the semester. I've only done two. As you can tell, I'm well behind. So of course, I had to jump at the chance of doing one particular writing assignment that would count as two. The assignment was to 'attend an event, try something new and different' and then write about the "Phenomenology of Art".
This weekend was the Canadian Filmmakers Festival. It's kind of like the Toronto International Film Festival but without Hollywood. I'm not a great big fan of indie films, although I wish I was. I guess nowadays my patience for 'bad art' is just in decline. I mean, indie movies aren't all that bad. They just take a little getting used to. It's one of those things where you need to have the patience to get through the bad acting and the awkward cinematography. Damn Hollywood for ruining my ability to appreciate all that.
So last night I went with a couple of friends to take in one of the last movies showing during the festival. We decided to see Steel Toes since it was remotely related to the legal field. The movie stars the yummy Canadian actor, Andrew Walker (anybody watch Student Bodies? He was one of the the hot dumb jocks) and some Oscar-nominated actor, whose name I cannot recall. Walker plays a neo-Nazi who is on trial for murdering an East Asian immigrant in an alleged hate crime and ends up getting a public defender who happens to be a 'humanist, liberal Jew'. The movie was slow at first. Really slow. I dozed off a bit before I realized I better stay awake because it's for school. I hate it when the director puts in these useless 'mood' scenes: nothing is going on, the viewer just sees some nice scenery for a really long time, as if to depict the days going by. ZZzzzzz. I think because it was a 'thinking' movie, that's why the put in those long-ass scenes: for the dumbasses like me to take it all in and think before the next scene.
Before I saw the movie, I had overheard some people say that the movie was apparently powerful. I was so not convinced until the climax of the movie (which in most law movies, is the point where the accused goes to trial) and then I realized why people were calling it powerful. The theme of the movie centralizes on the relationship between the lawyer and his client a neo-Nazi and a Jew and how they somehow influence each other. Needless to say, it is not the happy-go-lucky ending that one might expect from a Hollywood movie.
Anyhoo, I better start writing the paper before I forget the name of the movie.
In the meantime, check out some pics from the weekend. Special thanks to Paul (someone get a hold of Jonny's?). I know they're on Facebook, but this is for the better people who don't have Facebook.
^Barbra and Paul R
^We rule the back seat. Word.
^Parrrtayyyyyyy
^:o Vicki! Take them out of the box first!
^I rock the party that rocks your body
^Looks like someone's rockin' Paul's body
^...and Paul M's. What is up with the faces, guys?
2 comments:
You've got a bit of the 'O' Face going, too!
Hahaha! So true. Thanks for the laugh, Paul.
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