Tuesday, January 23, 2007

State of the Union, Cute Boy, Bike Helmet, Me and Bonnie


The only thing worse than the State of the Union was the Democrats insistence on standing up and clapping like seals every time Bush said some offensive nonsense. No healthcare, a never-ending war on terror, and false promises of energy independence (try a bike assholes).

I watched it at the Uptown Tavern with the Colorado ACLU folks. 2 for one beers were nice and I went with my friend Bonnie (see picture). I lost my bike helmet in some yuppie's coat but Eric found it after Bonnie and I departed. Kindly, he left it on my doorstep wrapped in a wild oats bag!

The rest of the night is my little secret so don't try to get me to tell you about that...

A day of movies, a shitty President, a hot boy (oooops), and a fun SOU-watching buddy.

Alas...tomorrow will be here tomorrow. Till then...

Eternal Vigilance and Stealing America


Other movies I watched today include Eternal Viligance and "Stealing America," two films about the 2004 voter fraud scandal. It's amazing that people have not risen up against the government considering the blatant rigging of the last elections through voter intimidation, computer flaws, etc...Our country loves to pretend it believes in democracy, but it's clear that all the people care about is consumption. It will take alot to get us off the couch.

Cuba, Angel's Barbershop, and a Slushy Bike Ride


I worked from home today watching a number of movies right in my living room in Denver, Colorado. At about 3:30 I took my lunch break and went to Angel's Barbershop on Colfax Ave. He gave me a nice hair-cut, a conservative look, and we chatted with a tall, lanky white guy about everything from super bowl bets to our jobs. When the guy found out I worked at Free Speech TV, he got all excited exclaiming that it was the only thing he'd watch on television. He especially loves Democracy Now, saying it was the only place he could get good information. NBC, CBS, and ABC were all filled with lies.

I biked home from the barber shop, getting wet with slush, and watched "The Power of Community: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil." It did a great job showing how Cuba, post-Soviet collapse has survived using Permaculture, Urban Gardening, and a variety of alternative energy sources. It compared U.S. and Cuban attitudes towards energy.

Monday, January 22, 2007

The Up Series


Over the past few weeks I've been watching Michael Alpert's "Up Series" that chronicles the lives of over a dozen Brits from age 7, starting in 1964, into their forties in 2005. What I love most about this film is that nobody has an overtly happy marriage. It's a great document in the kinds of terrible compromise necessary for long term relationships. Equally difficult is the autonomous life. Overall, the movie makes living look rather exhausting and unglorious. Daily struggles consume the characters...Regardless, the rich stay rich and the poor stay poor. There are no American Dream delusions in this series. Amazing documentary revealing the tedium of this purgatory--life.

The Magical Life of Long Tack Sam



gical I am so excited that Ann Marie Fleming has made another ass kicking film--"The Magical Life of Long Tack Sam." This time, she deals with global history and Euroasian identity as she tracks her great-grandfather, the Chinese vaudeville star Long Tack Sam. The film charts out this rich character's life as he immigrates to the United States and refuses to enter the movie business. Using wonderful animations and a quirky, self-conscious first person narrative, she escorts us through 20th century history creating a personal link to the past. Great immigration story put out by the National Film Board of Canada.

Shortbus


Out of all the movies I've seen this year dealing with queer issues, my favorite was Shortbus. It was sexy, profound, painful, and ultimately revolutionary. I've seen it twice in the theatres!

It was made by John Cameron Mitchel (Hedwig and the Angry Inch) and is truly a pansexual, utopian romp.

I hope you get a chance to see it.

Television and Revolution


From couches all over the country, viewers are watching TV and getting informed about political issues. Movies like "Hijacking Catastrophe," "The Future of Food," and "Farenheitte 9-11" are revolutionizing the way people approach their own culture. TV networks like Free Speech TV and Link TV are introducing people to documentaries and news shows that they have never seen before.

This Blog is devoted to journaling about the movies I watch as a revolutionary and couch potato. The goal is to introduce people to movies they have not seen and to talk about all sorts of issues that come up in documentaries and other types of movies.


Feel free to get involved in the conversation.

xo
kyle