Thursday, January 21, 2010

Artsy Thursday

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I hosted an artists’ party at my house a while back, inviting all my creative friends to showcase their paintings and sculptures, perform their most interesting performance pieces and play the songs that sing in their hearts. I took the opportunity to read some of my poetry (getting the response that those who really followed what I was saying wanted to jump in front of a truck – it was pretty down stuff.) One of my friends wasn’t sure if she would be comfortable in this crowd since she didn’t see herself as an artist. But she was a great cook. I told her to make the hors d’eouvres. She was a hit being the only artist whose pieces were edible.

As I see it, there is a connection between art and food and Thursdays are devoted to art in the visual, written and sometimes majorly messed up fashion. So I christen thee – Artsy Thursday. Observance – the word Thursday is a bit drab and not really very artistic, though I guess it could be argued that it holds a minimalistic quality that could be defined as merely pretentious.

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So let’s drop the pretention and let me share with you one of my favorite films so far, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. I had never heard of it, or seen a trailer, but by happenstance, Paul found it playing in the area and shared with me the synopsis. Though the story sounded nice, and the plethora of great looking actors from Heath Ledger to Johnny Depp and Jude Law filled the screen, I was still unphased. Then he said: Directed by Terry Gilliam. The angels sang and I was hooked.

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It was the perfect way to spend a rainy afternoon and a great way to escape a stressful week. I don’t want to give anything away, but this was Heath Ledger’s last movie and he died before it was even half way filmed. This left the director in a predicament missing his friend and star, as well as seeing before him another lost film. But as he says, when you have a magic mirror you can do anything and he did, using his brilliant imagination to transcend death and use the talents of Depp, Law and Colin Farrell as substitutes for Ledger in a seamless telling of his fantastical tale. I didn’t even know about all that until after I saw the movie.

Paul is a big movie watcher and loves spending at least one weekend day, relaxing in the dark with strangers surrounding him. I am more of a home moviegoer, but have come to appreciate stories on the big screen, no matter how small. This has allowed me to see films I may never have seen, and actually enjoyed them like Up In The Air, with George Clooney (who I really won’t talk about since I just don’t care for him – too slick) and Blind Side with Sandra Bullock (another not so much a favorite in the Hollywood crew.) But I really enjoyed both. But nothing stimulated me as Doctor Parnassus and his magic mirror. I can’t wait for it to come out on DVD so we can watch it on Guy’s projector in his new Swingin’ Beach Pad and enjoy cocktails at the same time (it’s definitely a film for those who like to alter their reality, but not just for them.)

Share with me a recent discovery you have made. I would love to know what pulls you from the mundane through the magic mirror to paradise.

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