“Deep Down” is a one-hour documentary by filmmakers Sally Rubin and Jen Gilomen about a group of citizens in Maytown, Kentucky who take a stand against a coal company to protect the natural landscape. After watching this film add Barbara Kopple’s brilliant documentary “Harlan County USA” about a coal mining strike in 1976 to your rental queue.
Back from a couple days in the Midcoast visiting a friend. Saw this movie (read the book it is better, but then aren’t they always), had drinks and fresh locally sourced oysters at the Black Pearl on the Public Landing in Rockland, and checked out the Maine Boats Homes & Harbors Show after hours. The trip and the gorgeous weather we have now (shorts and tank tops during the day, jeans and if you are by the water a cardigan at night) have me wanting to wrap myself up in the rural world of Maine.
“One of the first conditions of happiness is that the link between Man and Nature shall not be broken.”
Leo Tolstoy
By far one of my favorite films from 2009, “Young Victoria” had me from the opening credits. By the end I had tears streaming down my face. Emily Blunt and Rupert Friend are beautiful as is this living in feature on Design Sponge today.
One of eight short films about Maine farmers, created by Maine Farmland Trust and Pull-Start Pictures. I was lucky enough to score tickets to the premiere event at The Strand Theatre, but you can watch them online. Really well done, insightful and beautiful. If you are ever in the Midcoast Region of Maine hike it over to Chase’s Daily in Belfast for a delicious meal. Get there early and you will be astounded by their indoor farmers’ market (incredible variety of tomatoes) and be sure to get a bag of their chocolate chip cherrie cookies to go. So good!!
I wrapped up a documentary kick recently and thought best to share the last two films I watched with you. Both are uncomfortable personal accounts of ambitious and serious adventures in powerful and graceful worlds (vertical and liquid). The people at the center tried to do something harder than they thought. ”Touching the Void” is the stuff of climbing legend.
My film watching seems to go in waves - next up in my Netflix queue season 5 of “The Closer” and a few French films starring Romain Duris. His portrait of a stricken dancer in “Paris” was beautiful.
“Surfwise” is a colorful and thought-provoking documentary about “surf’s first family.” Dorian “Doc” Paskowitz dropped out of a successful medical career, married a woman he met on a less than conventional international road trip, and went on to raise nine children in a 24-foot camper van traveling from one surf spot to another. For the past three decades their surfing camps have introduced people of all ages to the world of surfing.
“Stand by Me” is the quintessential film about childhood adventures and loyalty. I have not seen it in years, but it is the perfect rainy day cabin fever film.
Others: “Wind” “Pirates of the Caribbean” “Blue Hawaii” “Big Wednesday” “Grease” “Riding Giants” and why not…(the original!) “Friday the 13th”
With “Giant,” “Rebel Without a Cause,” “Easy Rider” and “Apocalypse Now” Dennis Hopper led a cross-country cinematic trip through some of the darkest (and most glorious) moments the silver screen has ever seen. His portrayal of the drunk father in “Hoosiers” was incredible as was the brilliant Sean Penn/Robert Duvall film “Colors” he directed. Could this guy have been any cooler!?
In the mid-90s Hopper played Bruno Bischofberger, a major European art dealer, in the largely forgettable Julian Schnabel film “Basquiat” about the tortured genius graffiti artist who upended the 1980s New York art scene with his expressive works about social injustice. Alongside David Bowie, Gary Oldman, Benicio Del Toro, the ever nasty (but always amazing) Michael Wincott, and a young Jeffrey Wright he stood his ground in what was ultimately an ego project for Schnabel.
Fortunately for me he did the film and while working for Miramax Films (the film’s distributor) in L.A. I had the opportunity to visit Hopper’s Venice, CA. home to supervise an interview with him for a promotional video. By this time he was becoming as well known for his modern art collection and own photography as his film roles, well at least in L.A. It was a short visit during which he was gracious and eager to talk about art, cinema, the design of his home and its security system. The house was a mini fortress with suspended hallways and a garage any federal reserve would envy, though you would not know that from the exterior. He was well informed and passionate about the pieces he owned (Andy Warhol, Keith Haring…), living with them in the rooms of his house as opposed to locking them away in storage. It was a unique and special experience for which I will always be grateful.
I thought two things while reading Gwyneth Paltrow’s GOOP newsletter this morning. Thank god I am not her assistant and love her style.
Those of us who follow the entertainment news and read In Style or People (the latter only comes into my hands during pedicures and dental visits) have read about celebrities customizing their trailers, travel “necessities”, and the fancy digs they book while on location. During the filming of “Love Don’t Let Me Down” (or “The Icon” I am not sure which is the current working title) “GP” opted for something a bit more extravagant. Rather than rent a furnished abode she opted to makeover a raw loft in the mixed-use LEED certified Gulch neighborhood of Nashville. Always the epitome of style it does not surprise me this is where she chose to stay, but again instead of gutting a space why not just find a nice place to rent and ship in her own bedding, artwork, espresso maker…? Well anyway she didn’t and instead she hired the talented Annette Joseph to convert a bright cool industrial space into a comfortable retreat for her family during shooting. In ten days with a crew of 30 craftsmen, bit of dry walling, painting, and range of accessories and appliances she accomplished something that could only spring from the Hollywood mindset. I will not lie, the results are gorgeous. My favorites the bathroom and kitchen!
“Surfwise” is a colorful and thought-provoking documentary about “surf’s first family.” Dorian “Doc” Paskowitz dropped out of a successful medical career, married a woman he met on a less than conventional international road trip, and went on to raise nine children in a 24-foot camper van traveling from one surf spot to another. For the past three decades their surfing camps have introduced people of all ages to the world of surfing.
