We had the chance to see, thanks to our friend Jimmy DiMarcellis who art-directed the film, Francis Ford Coppola’s newest horror/B-movie ode/personal heartache/brilliantly experimental film, Twixt, this past weekend in the Napa Valley town of St Helena. It was one of the most imaginative and fun films we have ever seen, and such a thrill to see what an original vision both Jimmy and Coppola were able to get onto the screen. It is a must-see for anyone who appreciates experimental film, and Edgar Allan Poe.
We guess Spike Jonze, after his past few projects, is just more sensitive and in tune with youthful, nostalgic emotions than we ever gave him credit for. Designer Olympia Le-Tan and Spike teamed up for this film that premiered on Nowness, and is a stop-motion animation set in Paris’ famous Shakespeare and Company bookstore.
Here is a little summary: On a shelf in famed Parisian bookstore Shakespeare and Company, the star-crossed love story of a klutzy skeleton and his flame-haired amour plays out amidst Le-Tan’s illustrations of iconic first-edition book covers. “It’s such a beautiful and romantic place,” offers Le-Tan of the antiquarian bookstore. “The perfect setting for our story!” The project started after Jonze asked for a Catcher in the Rye embroidery to put on his wall and the plucky Le-Tan asked for a film in return. Enlisting French filmmaker Simon Cahn to co-direct, the team wrote the script between Los Angeles and Paris over a six month period, before working night and day animating the 3,000 pieces of felt Le-Tan had cut by hand.
This past Sunday at FIFTY24SF Gallery/Upper Playground in San Francisco, we celebrated the release of Dirty Hands, the documentary following the career of David Choe. Director Harry Kim, artist and the film’s star, David Choe, and a crew of friends, family, and fans showed up. What happened; street races, thumb wars, photos, signings, bloody marys, smiles, and happy moments.
This is what a van promoting Exit Through the Gift Shop in Japan looked like when the driver got back from lunch. It is not like anyone could really get upset about it through right? They were even nice enough to leave the title of the film legible.
This could be really bad, or surprisingly not too bad; South African Director, Jonathan Liebesman, (who did Battle: Los Angeles) will direct for the Julius Caesar biopic for Warner Bros, working from a screenplay by Chris Boal, author of an acclaimed play about Caesar called 23 Knives. We were sort of excited when we saw the headline, and the summary that the film will follow the “young general’s departure to Spain to take up a governorship and ends with him triumphant as undisputed leader of the Roman empire following his defeat of rival Pompey.”
As long as Brad Pitt, Russell Crowe, or Vin Diesel doesn’t play a major role, this should go sort of okay.
We have never seen it, but we read this great piece on The Paris Review about the film. It, the article, covers topics like surfing, youth, being from the Phoenix area, liking surfing, the beach, and how the film The North Shore, even though corny as hell, was hard to resist.
Dirty Hands chronicles the life and career of David Choe from 2000 to 2007 as documented by his close friend and director, Harry Kim. The documentary reveals the highs and lows involved in the upwards trajectory of David’s career using the same “no holds barred” style that makes his artwork so unique and sought-after. Ultimately, the film unveils a explicit yet personal story of the trials of a succeeding talent, inspirational to any artist.
Originally, the “Dirty Hands” documentary premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival to multiple sold-out screenings and went on to win the Best Documentary award at the San Diego Asian Film Festival. It was also featured as the closing film at the MoMA’s “All the Wrong Art: Juxtapoz Magazine on Film” documentary series. It is now available on DVD for the first time ever through Upper Playground.
Dirty Hands chronicles the life and career of David Choe from 2000 to 2007 as documented by his close friend and director, Harry Kim. The documentary reveals the highs and lows involved in the upwards trajectory of David’s career using the same “no holds barred” style that makes his artwork so unique and sought-after. Ultimately, the film unveils a explicit yet personal story of the trials of a succeeding talent, inspirational to any artist.
Originally, the “Dirty Hands” documentary premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival to multiple sold-out screenings and went on to win the Best Documentary award at the San Diego Asian Film Festival. It was also featured as the closing film at the MoMA’s “All the Wrong Art: Juxtapoz Magazine on Film” documentary series. It is now available on DVD for the first time ever through Upper Playground.
