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Almodóvar has been one of my favorite directors ever since I
somewhat haplessly wandered into Kika at the Nick. His latest,
Talk to Her, is just as good as everyone has been saying it
is. Javier Cámara and Darío Grandinetti play two men whose
lives become intertwined through a series of events that would seem
ridiculous in anyone else's film. Talk to Her is more in the
introspective vein of Live Flesh or The Flower of My
Secret than in the insanity of Kika or Tie Me Up! Tie Me
Down!, but Almodóvar continues to masterfully put the
complexity of relationships on film without making excuses for
anyone. Gay? Straight? Healthy? Sick? It's never that simple.
This is the perfect follow-up to All About My Mother. Finally,
I hate hate hate bullfighting, but watching Rosario Flores stare down
a bull sure made me feel kinda funny.
Friday night I journeyed out to Hunter's Point for Altruity's
Catalyst party, the sort of multimedia event that always seems to be
happening in this city. This was a good one. There was art, there
was food, there was bleepy bloopy music playing. I did my best to push
up the prices on a few pieces of art in the silent auction and then
allowed myself to become engrossed in the aforementioned music. T vs.
T were playing while I was there, and they created their electronica
live by twiddling knobs and layering some guitar and bass on top of
the beats and breaks and samples. I didn't win any of the art I bid
on, which is great because I really don't have the money to be
bidding anyway. I don't know what comes over me.
I had a much-needed lazy day on Saturday during which I watched The
Passion of Joan of Arc twice through, first silent and then with
the Einhorn score Voices of Light. I recommend watching it
with the score. I see why critics go nuts for this film, and I
thoroughly enjoyed letting the procession of beautiful shots flow over
me. Joan of Arc remains a powerful and intriguing figure to me, and
Passion did a good job of portraying her as convicted
instead of simply crazy.
Later that eve I was at the
Red Vic
for a showing of the classic Wild Style complete with director
Charlie Ahearn in attendance. Fairly thin on plot, Wild Style
is really just an excuse to showcase some amazing early rap as well
as gorgeous graffiti from the likes of Lee Quinones (who also stars in
the film). And then there's the breakdancing. Good education for a
girl who remembers when instructional breakdancing records were being
advertised on Nickelodeon. Order now and get a free piece of
linoleum!
Talk to Her
Altruity
T vs. T
Wild Style
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Heidi J. De Vries
