Famous friend

While I was in DC I walked around the various Smithsonian buidlings and came across this portrait competition. Some really amazing paintings and photos. The winner was a 2 by 3 foot digital print of a photo taken by Dave Woody of Colorado:



It's a strong portrait and technically a great photograph, but what really gets me is that I'm pretty sure I've met this person. Is that possible? Or is there really something about the lighting, styling, the model, etc. that just fools me into thinking that? And does it work for everyone like that, or does it have something to do with my age, my socio-economic background, my fondness of V-necks, etc.

Windy islands

I recently went to the movie theaters and saw both 'Shutter Island' and 'Ghost Writer' (on different occasions), big budget movies from two of the most well-respected (and aging) directors of all-time.

I suppose it's just a coincidence that both films revolve around young hunky guys sort of stranded on unnamed small islands in New England, with periodic inclimate weather forcing said protagonists to seek shelter in run down cabin/shacks, leading to chance encounters with local islanders.

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Off to the island, you sure you wanna go?

But what might be less of a coincidence is the fact that both movies seem so out of touch with contemporary story telling. I'm not sure what CST is but I can tell you it's not: a shot of Leo DiCaprio nervously making his way through the island prison, passing through a broken door with a sign that says 'This door to remain locked at all times'. Or: Ewan McGregor introducing himself to potentially menacing government agents as 'the ghost...I mean, the ghost writer.'


Local stranger with valuable information

In fact there are so many moments like this in the Ghost Writer that I almost feel like Polanski gets away with it, sort of a throw back to some other era when films had to be explicit in this melodramatic way (was it ever like that?).

In any case, the strange thing is that both of these movies got really good reviews. Don't get me wrong, I thought both films looked great and most of the time I was having fun watching them. But so often these moments happened that it becomes disconnecting, I have to look around the theater to deal with the awkwardness. I feel like it's lazy film making (didn't someone notice this in editing room?), and I have to think that it has something to do with the fact that these guys are so famous. Compare these movies to some of the more nuanced and subtle story telling from some younger directors like Ramin Bahrani (I just recently saw 'Goodbye Solo') and it really becomes apparent.

Ivy league

Overheard today on the Dartmouth campus:
`I've met some really friendly homeless people, actually.'