- Good Morning Heartache
- Gloomy Sunday
- Lover Man
- The Long & Winding Road
- Unlucky Woman
- Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered
- Hey There
- Knock on Wood
- Ain't to Proud to Beg
- Lean on Me
- Up on the Roof
- Prince of Peace (Leon Thomas)
- On a Wonderful Day Like Today
- Foyo Suvelavimwai La Meze Meyeyo
- You Don't Love Me No More
- Masquerade
- For No One (Lennon McCartney)
- I Shall Be Released
- We Can Work It Out
- I'll Be Seeing You
Monday, November 24, 2008
Songs I Have Loved to Sing
Before quittting smoking, when composing the motivational list, i thought about the songs I loved to sing, how those celebrated how to use the voice, so much like ambling through the gorgeous fashions of YSL this past weekend, let me amble now and in the near future, about songs I've loved having the breath to sing...
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Slumdog Millionaire -- dazzling urban visual rhythms
Slumdog Millionaire is NOW PLAYING at the Embarcadero Theater in S.F. I just got home from it and highly recommend it. Here are some thoughts. (I talk about the story line but not in enough detail to be a spoiler.)
I am still dazzled by Slumdog Millionaire, built around the slums of Mumbai. It is perhaps the best movie I've ever seen. Visually very dense in the most intricate sense. The visual equivalent of the poly rhythmic world music I love. The director was able to capture the action within the living city of millions bustling about. The humming activity sometimes seems like a split screen and yet it is not. That is just Mumbai, here there and everywhere. Seething and dancing urban India. And a few charming years the main characters spend in rural areas.
This dazzling city life is but the canvas for a story that evolves seemingly as chaotically organically as life itself. The editing together of the story is another remarkable feat. A nimble touch. No clunkiness in getting from point A to point B.
"Slumdog Millionaire" is about a slum kid who wins Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? in Mumbai and is interrogated by police as a fraud because how could a young man raised in the slums know that?-- So the film takes you through each of his answers in the program and shows the intense experiences that imprinted the answers into his brain. Very smart thread for the story. Very organic weaving of events into the mix. And very intense urban busy-ness throughout the film. Multiple scenes of action simultaneously, as happens in a city-- cars driving here, folks running there, train over there, and chase scene in the forefront through the alleyways... Super graphics-- billions bustling in Mumbai nee Bombay. And scenes filmed in the slums which were adjacent to the garbage dump in which our lead character was a wee tyke...
Came straight home after the movie tonight because it was so dazzling. I feel like I've spent one intense week in Mumbai back streets, with some scenes in other cities that flow right in to the plot and then our orphaned slum kids get tossed on to the next part of their lives...
Wherever you are, if it hits a big screen and you're up for a dazzling urban adventure with a sweet storyline melody thread too, I think you will love it.
I'd love to see it again. My eyes feel like a full week of walking through a famous city, Yet there were also those quiet shots-- moments of stilness that slip into some city time. Glances of calm. Or suites of colors that are pleasing in spite of their being corrugated roofing in varied stages of decay... And often the raw city sounds were fed in. Or some very R&B like bhangra tunes pounded away briefly for city set ups... The history of three kids who grew up in the urban underbelly of India. Sheer enchantment.
Yes I do believe I could go on for hours... I am still in awe...
I am still dazzled by Slumdog Millionaire, built around the slums of Mumbai. It is perhaps the best movie I've ever seen. Visually very dense in the most intricate sense. The visual equivalent of the poly rhythmic world music I love. The director was able to capture the action within the living city of millions bustling about. The humming activity sometimes seems like a split screen and yet it is not. That is just Mumbai, here there and everywhere. Seething and dancing urban India. And a few charming years the main characters spend in rural areas.
This dazzling city life is but the canvas for a story that evolves seemingly as chaotically organically as life itself. The editing together of the story is another remarkable feat. A nimble touch. No clunkiness in getting from point A to point B.
"Slumdog Millionaire" is about a slum kid who wins Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? in Mumbai and is interrogated by police as a fraud because how could a young man raised in the slums know that?-- So the film takes you through each of his answers in the program and shows the intense experiences that imprinted the answers into his brain. Very smart thread for the story. Very organic weaving of events into the mix. And very intense urban busy-ness throughout the film. Multiple scenes of action simultaneously, as happens in a city-- cars driving here, folks running there, train over there, and chase scene in the forefront through the alleyways... Super graphics-- billions bustling in Mumbai nee Bombay. And scenes filmed in the slums which were adjacent to the garbage dump in which our lead character was a wee tyke...
Came straight home after the movie tonight because it was so dazzling. I feel like I've spent one intense week in Mumbai back streets, with some scenes in other cities that flow right in to the plot and then our orphaned slum kids get tossed on to the next part of their lives...
Wherever you are, if it hits a big screen and you're up for a dazzling urban adventure with a sweet storyline melody thread too, I think you will love it.
I'd love to see it again. My eyes feel like a full week of walking through a famous city, Yet there were also those quiet shots-- moments of stilness that slip into some city time. Glances of calm. Or suites of colors that are pleasing in spite of their being corrugated roofing in varied stages of decay... And often the raw city sounds were fed in. Or some very R&B like bhangra tunes pounded away briefly for city set ups... The history of three kids who grew up in the urban underbelly of India. Sheer enchantment.
Yes I do believe I could go on for hours... I am still in awe...
Show Ideas for a Style Channel
Cinematic Style -- Movie series of films featuring fashion: like Funny Face; Slaves of New York; ADD MORE
-- Documentaries about designers and fashion. I have seen such docs on Yves Saint Laurent, Karl Lagerfeld, not sure if Givenchy has one. ADD MORE
Fashion Drama Series-- Does the BBC have any more besides The House of Elliott? Would AbFab be that since they both play in chic circles? Check international networks.
Makeoverama -- Purchase makeover segments of popular shows like Oprah, Tyra and others past and present. Could be fun to show retro makeover segments too. And the international edition-- you can probably find great makeover segments in England, Australia and Scotland. And if you're willing to subtitle, I'll bet makeover shows from other countries would be cool too.
Trinny and Susannah, What Not to Wear UK, have been so funny in their books that just because BBC America won't play them doesn't mean we should miss out. A style channel would like to share what the UK thinks a successful style transformation to be, with the witty commentary of Trinny and Susannah.
-- Documentaries about designers and fashion. I have seen such docs on Yves Saint Laurent, Karl Lagerfeld, not sure if Givenchy has one. ADD MORE
Fashion Drama Series-- Does the BBC have any more besides The House of Elliott? Would AbFab be that since they both play in chic circles? Check international networks.
Makeoverama -- Purchase makeover segments of popular shows like Oprah, Tyra and others past and present. Could be fun to show retro makeover segments too. And the international edition-- you can probably find great makeover segments in England, Australia and Scotland. And if you're willing to subtitle, I'll bet makeover shows from other countries would be cool too.
Trinny and Susannah, What Not to Wear UK, have been so funny in their books that just because BBC America won't play them doesn't mean we should miss out. A style channel would like to share what the UK thinks a successful style transformation to be, with the witty commentary of Trinny and Susannah.
Dave Chappelle gets my Mort Sahl Award for 2008
He came on stage with just a stool there and his cigarettes and talked for nearly two hours, covering all kinds of topics including lots of politics and then before you knew it, he was done. A generous long set had elapsed in waves of delightful talk.
Dave Chappelle. Saw him on November 1st. Before the election, so he joked about what those reluctant to vote for Obama might be worried about.
I was lucky enough to be in the third row at the Punchline and enjoyed every story. He, too, is a brilliant writer who wove a lot of material into nearly two enchanting hours. Lots of laughs and new perspectives.
That was the thing about Mort Sahl, he'd come on stage with just his newspaper, in a cardigan, and sit on a stool or stand and just reel off interesting, varied material about current events and before you knew it a long set had elapsed and you were still smiling, wanting more.
Dave Chappelle. Saw him on November 1st. Before the election, so he joked about what those reluctant to vote for Obama might be worried about.
I was lucky enough to be in the third row at the Punchline and enjoyed every story. He, too, is a brilliant writer who wove a lot of material into nearly two enchanting hours. Lots of laughs and new perspectives.
That was the thing about Mort Sahl, he'd come on stage with just his newspaper, in a cardigan, and sit on a stool or stand and just reel off interesting, varied material about current events and before you knew it a long set had elapsed and you were still smiling, wanting more.
Lizz Winstead gave us a full hour of political comedy
Lizz Winstead-- created The Daily Show and helped Air America develop shows, including Rachel Maddow and Chuck D and Lizz in the mornings and that's how Rachel got rolling.
Lizz is petite, pale and brunette and seems like she could be from Michigan or Wisconsin. I'd have to check that in Facebook. She reminded me of old friends of mine who were from there. She had a refreshing frankness and common sense.
I'd been to a number of comedy shows in the City looking for more political comedy, with the election coming and all, but had been continually disappointed. There would be snippets here and there but it seemed as though people were staying fairly neutral on that. The exceptions were Robin Williams, Paul Mooney and (later) Dave Chappelle. That reluctance to develop political humor makes the USA feel even more like a fascist state.
So Lizz was totally refreshing. She is indeed a fabulous writer. She was reeling off lots of Palin jokes and then stopped herself, noting that she could fill an hour with them. Then she did some McPanic and other topics, including gay marriage and No on 8.
Felt like I was watching a national treasure and I look forward to seeing her again. She has quite a web presence, so I'll check that out too.
Lizz is petite, pale and brunette and seems like she could be from Michigan or Wisconsin. I'd have to check that in Facebook. She reminded me of old friends of mine who were from there. She had a refreshing frankness and common sense.
I'd been to a number of comedy shows in the City looking for more political comedy, with the election coming and all, but had been continually disappointed. There would be snippets here and there but it seemed as though people were staying fairly neutral on that. The exceptions were Robin Williams, Paul Mooney and (later) Dave Chappelle. That reluctance to develop political humor makes the USA feel even more like a fascist state.
So Lizz was totally refreshing. She is indeed a fabulous writer. She was reeling off lots of Palin jokes and then stopped herself, noting that she could fill an hour with them. Then she did some McPanic and other topics, including gay marriage and No on 8.
Felt like I was watching a national treasure and I look forward to seeing her again. She has quite a web presence, so I'll check that out too.
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