Lost in the Shuffle

"The Painted Veil" seems to have gotten lost in the shuffle of art house/Oscar madness. Too bad. Director John Curran seems much more in control of his material compared to his last go-around, "We Don't Live Here Anymore," another novel adaptation which was shockingly flat. Perhaps "P.V." won me over because of its exotic locale (Shanghai), the vintage clothing and hair styles (1920s), and the understated performances (Edward Norton, Naomi Watts). Although the film could be passed off as an expert Masterpiece Theater episode, I still recommend it. (Image via Rotten Tomatoes.)

Stare-down Sculpture

If you think this sculpture--no, that is not a real person--looks creepy, imagine its effect when you see it in person and this seven-foot "man" stares you down. Not all of Ron Mueck's human replicas at the Brooklyn Museum are outsized; others are Tom Thumb proportions but no less unsettling. Made from silicone, these sculptures are so lifelife that I shrank every time I made eye contact with them. The craftsmanship in creating these sculptures is awesome. The skin tone with its bluish veins just visible under the skin is amazing. Note: if you have any problem with gigantic penises pointing at you, you might want to avoid this show. (If interested, here are some behind-the-scenes photos of installing the exhibit.) (Images via Brooklynmuseum.org)

There He Is Again

Have you ever suddenly started to see a person in your neighborhood again and again? You don't know his name or where he lives, but you get to know his routine simply because you continue to cross paths. Something similar has happened to me, but the man appears to me only on movie and television screens. Within the past month, I kept seeing the same actor pop up in supporting roles in films, such as "Marie Antoinette," "Birth," and "Children of Men." It finally came to a head when I rented "The Constant Gardener" and saw him yet again. Who are you?!! I did a little research and found out that he's Danny Huston, son of director John Huston and half-brother of Anjelica. Although his resume is pretty short, he's played supporting roles in pretty good films. Keep your eyes peeled because I bet you'll start seeing this stranger too.

Drive-in Saturday

In this weekly feature, I review in one sentence or less videos/DVDs of movies that you either have seen already or wouldn't bother to see.

"Lessons of Darkness" (1992), directed by Werner Herzog: A little bit "Koyaanisqatsi," a little bit "2001," a little bit boring.

"We Don't Live Here Anymore" (2004), directed by John Curran: Doesn't work.

"The Constant Gardener" (2005), directed by Fernando Meirelles: Lively cinema-verite camerawork makes this a grade-A thriller.

Tactile Fetish

I was seduced by the textures in Tiffany Besonen's installation, "Ambiotic," at Soho20 gallery. I didn't know it, but yellowed sewing pattern paper dipped in wax produces some type of tactile fetish in me. Besides these materials, the installation uses wooden ironing boards, the artist's own hair, and basswood logs. The sewing pattern paper is cut up and layered to resemble a pear shape. However, they look more like beehives, which fits nicely with this meditation on mothering and female roles. I like that the artist went a step further with this "found art" and transformed the objects into something new while still retaining hints of their origins. (Images via www.mnartists.org and Soho20 gallery)

Notes on Nighy

After seeing "Notes on a Scandal," I officially became a Bill Nighy fan. Nighy, who gives a pitch-perfect performance as Cate Blanchett's duped husband, is an actor whose name I've seen, but I've never seen him. After doing a Netflix search, I see that he's much more a supporting role actor at this point. (He's in "The Constant Gardener," which I'll rent soon, despite the fact that its star Ralph Fiennes drives me completely batty-bird.) I heard this radio interview the other day, and Nighy comes across as a charming self-deprecating Brit. Unfortunately, the interview was conducted by Leonard Lopate, one of the 10 most pompous people on the planet. (Image via BillNighy.info)

Little Edie and Blanche in Dakota

(Perhaps I'll become the go-to site when it comes to Juergen Teller's photos for Marc Jacobs ads because here I go again....) While the Catholic League is going apoplectic about the Dakota Fanning film "Hounddog" (she's 12 and she gets raped), the sometimes creepy actress channels Little Edie from "Grey Gardens" and Blanche Dubois from "A Streetcar Named Desire" in this month's ads. I can dig it. (Images via W and Vogue)

New Addiction/Blogroll Addition

Oscar news fans: if you need hourly--even half hourly--entertaining updates on the race, reactions and predictions, check out The Carpetbagger, aka David Carr. I must have sneaked peeks at Carr's blog about 10 times yesterday. Very addictive.

Elusively Inclusive

Robert Irwin wants gallerygoers to experience rather than just observe his installation "Who's Afraid of Red Yellow and Blue 3" at Pace Wildenstein gallery. The problem is that sometimes a person needs a little shove before he takes a dive. Like other visitors, I walked around and observed the 16-by-22 blue, yellow, and red aluminum panels laying on the floor, with their identical twin suspended from the ceiling. Observing from the periphery, I felt excluded from whatever Irwin was trying to convey. However, after I walked between the panels, I started to groove on this installation. Sandwiched between these shiny plates, I then finally could "experience" it. Still, should you have to literally stand on art in order to experience it and become a part of it?

Cheers and Jeers

Oscar nominations that I'm excited about: Ryan Gosling for "Half Nelson," Penelope Cruz for "Volver," and Alan Arkin for "Little Miss Sunshine." Oscar nods that make me groan: Martin Scorsese (just give him the damn thing, so he doesn't get nominated for any film he now helms), Rinko Kikuchi (does the fact that she spread her legs without underwear in "Babel" have anything to do with why so many male reviewers are screaming "Bravo!" for her performance?), and "The Queen" (I liked the film, but does it really deserve an Oscar for Best Picture?).

Hand It to Pan

I didn't think I would like it, but I did. After seeing "Pan's Labyrinth," I truly hope that director Guillermo Del Toro receives an Oscar nomination today. I don't like fables, I don't like fantasy, and I don't like creepy monster-beings, but I was completely enraptured with "Pan's..." which incorporates all those things. Del Toro had the entire theater audience in the palm of his hand. Great storytelling. Great images. My favorite scene: While the evil Captain is shaving, he places his razor against his throat's mirror image and drags the blade across the glass. Now that's a cinematic image. (Image via Ecranlarge.com)

UPDATE: Well, at least Del Toro got nominated for best screenplay and the flick received five other nominations.

Astonishingly Close to Home

Joe Queenan's essay in the NY Times Book Review on the overuse of the word "astonishing" in book reviews made me both smile and cringe. In the humorous piece, Queenan sets out to read only books that reviewers deem "astonishing" (there's a ridiculous--or rather "astonishing"--amount of them). In a separate column in the Book Review, Dwight Garner notes that the Book Review editors have banned a number of words, described as "book reviewese": "compelling," "iconic," "lyrical" and "poignant." This is where I cringe. Am I guilty of relying on these words in reviews when other words fail me? Yes. Like the Book Review, I'll do my best to ban those words from Amp Power as well. (Image via New York Times)

Eyes Wide Shut But Split in Two

For those of you who found "Eyes Wide Shut" to be erotic (all three of us), here are some images that evoke that flick. In this month's W magazine, a photo spread of Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig, particularly the above images, harkens back to those sequences in "EWS" of Nicole and the "Naval Officer." Unfortunately, W magazine's oversized proportions and my tiny scanner don't get along too well, so I present this sexy image chopped up in two. Use your imagination. Here are some more photos, if interested.

Drive-in Saturday

In this weekly feature, I review in one sentence or less videos/DVDs of movies that you either have seen already or wouldn't bother to see.

"The Sweetest Sound" (2001), directed by Alan Berliner: Tight but light documentary about the director's obsession with his name and the other people who share it.

"Infernal Affairs" (2002), directed by Wai Keung Lau and Alan Mak: Cream of the Chinese gangster crop.

Busted Codebreaker

I pride myself on understanding David Lynch films, but his latest, "Inland Empire," almost busted my internal Lynch codebreaker. "Lost Highway" and even "Mulholland Dr." are child's play compared to this flick starring Laura Dern. Let's just say that the film is about a woman whose mind is becoming undone. Although the flick is three hours long, there may be only a minute or two in which the viewer thinks he understands what's up there on the screen. Despite this cellouid nightmare of fractured time and circular storyline, I was never bored nor frustrated for a split second. Advice if you see the movie: sit back and let it take you where it may.

Crotch & Death

Your assignment: hang the Annie Leibovitz show at the Brooklyn Museum. The exhibit, which focuses on the last 15 years of the photographer's work, mixes stylized celebrity photos with personal family snapshots, including images of Susan Sontag near death. Here's the tricky part. Where do you hang the photographs of a dying Susan Sontag? Hmmm. How about right next to the photo of Jamie Foxx with his hand on his crotch? Perfect! Believe it or not, this is no joke; this is the way these incongruous images are actually positioned. I note that they are not as close to each other as the above collage illustrates; nevertheless, they might as well be. That's how offensive I found this juxtaposition.

Spoof or Goof

I don't know what to make of Scott Reeder's exhibit at Daniel Reich gallery. Although the imagery is crudely painted, the muted color palette, similar to that used in Luc Tuymans' last show, made me take another look. Are these paintings spoofs? The press release doesn't indicate such, especially when the gallery refers to reality with a capital R ("...[the artist] sets ground for a reflection to Reality where the titles often compete with the work."). Some of this artwork looked like that used in the satire "Art School Confidential" in which one talentless student rises to the top. This is a show in which I say: You decide. (Images via Daniel Reich gallery)

Mildred Pierce--Almodovar Style

As usual, Pedro Almodovar delivers with "Volver." Who knew that Penelope Cruz could actually act? And that I would be rooting for her to receive an Oscar nod? (Personal note: I have a soft spot for Pedro; I went into labor with my son while reading an epic NY Times profile on the director.) Although Almodovar has described the film as "Mildred Pierce" meets "Arsenic and Old Lace," the flick is more restrained in the best way possible.

The Freebie Effect

When I get to see a movie for free, this is what I've noticed: Bad movies seem better than they actually are, while good movies seem worse than they are. Recently, I saw "Night at the Museum" for free. I think I chuckled a few times and didn't consider it a total waste of time. Overall, I would say that it was O.K. But do I really think that? I certainly wouldn't recommend it. The storyline is hokey, I hate CGI effects, and I despise forced tugging-at-the-heart-strings endings. On the flip side, in 2003, I saw a ton of Oscar-nominated films for free. And I thought the majority were average or just plain bad: "Gangs of New York," "The Hours," "Frida," and "Chicago" among them. But who knows: maybe 2003 was a bad year for films.

Going? Soon Gone

His influences have included Japanese calligraphy, Greeks myths, and even French bricklayers. Today is the last day of the Brice Marden retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art. Since the show opened, there's been nonstop press coverage of the exhibit and the artist--all rave reviews and glowing profiles. The most striking aspect about Marden's works for me is the color. You need to see these paintings with your own eyes because no reproduction can capture these tones and subtle color shifts. I was more taken with his early monochromatic work than his now signature squiggly-style paintings, which, nevertheless, are still entrancing.

Drive-in Saturday

In this weekly feature, I review in one sentence or less videos/DVDs of movies that you either have seen already or wouldn't bother to see.

"Close My Eyes" (1991), directed by Stephen Poliakoff: Incest is best, if one of the siblings is Clive Owen.

"Birth" (2004), directed by Jonathan Glazer: Some very evocative scenes but overall M. Night Shyamalan wanna-be.

"Hard Candy" (2005), directed by David Slade: Psychological revenge flick that feels a little stagy.

Big Fish, Big Pond

I waited for hours, but I finally got to see David Lynch in the flesh. (He's thin, about 5'10", and looks just like the photos.) Promoting his book on meditation, Lynch was interviewed at Barnes and Noble at Union Square. The place was PACKED. Overflowing with Lynch aficionados, the staff closed off the floor an hour before the director's appearance. While waiting (I arrived two hours early but still had to stand), I read the entire contents of "Catching the Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness, and Creativity." Unfortunately, the interviewer must have done the same thing because every question lead into a chapter of this short tome. Lynch must have said the word "beautiful" about 50 times during this interview. He's so intoxicated with meditation that I want a sip of that drink too.

Priorities

I can't help it. The most eye-catching part of the New York Times' front section wasn't Dubya's Iraq War speech or the bombing in the Philippines but how tres, tres chic Nancy Pelosi looked in this photo. She looks fabulous in this red shawl/scarf set off against her dark hair and black stockings. The photo accompanied an article about how an epic war will soon start between the Dems and Bush with Pelosi leading the charge. Did I read it? Not a word. I was too taken with our so fashionable Madam Speaker of the House. (Image via New York Times)

This Blog Requires That You Read This Post

Is this a problem: The most interesting part of an exhibit is its reference point rather than the art it inspires? "I Drank the Kool-aid," a group show at Anna Kustera gallery, uses Dr. Stanley Milgram's experiment on human obedience to authority as a jumping-off point. However, the video of the experiment on display is more riveting and thought-provoking than anything created by these contemporary artists. In the 1960s, Milgram conducted experiments in which people willingly gave what they thought were harmful electrical shocks to other people (actually actors) under the command that "the experiment requires that you continue." Some participants broke down, but the majority continued despite the actors' screams and pleas to stop. (Here are some audio recordings of the experiment.) None of the artwork can compete with this video. I did, however, like Ari Versluis and Ellie Uyttenbroek's photos of people dressed identically in their hipster uniforms.

Intense Children

Lately, every movie with the word "Children" in its title seems to be a gem. (See "Little Children.") Starring the always dependable Clive Owen, "Children of Men" portrays a nightmarish future that seems quite plausible. When I wasn't covering my eyes during the harrowing chase sequences, I was wiping away tears during the heart-wrenching scenes. A very intense ride. Michael Caine's turn as a hippie-yippie is lots of fun. But this is definitely Clive Owen's flick. He's an ace at playing the brooding and vulnerable character.

Amateur Sampler

Perhaps I missed something or perhaps it's simply amateur hour at Buia gallery. Jan Christensen's "installation" of 20 or so speakers, a sound system, and slogan-painted canvases would seem more appropriate in a high school art class than a Chelsea gallery. The audio mix from 45 sources sounds like everyday grooves and beats that you might hear in a hair salon. There are no mashups, reinterpretations of songs, or unusual musical sources. The gallery describes itself as one that promotes artists at the beginning of their careers, but I don't think this particular artist is quite ready yet. (Images via Buia Gallery)

Guilt-free Popcorn Flick

"Notes on a Scandal" is a popcorn movie you won't feel guilty about seeing. Starring powerhouses Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett, the dialogue in this psychological thriller is deliciously biting and catty, and the performances are pitch perfect. Me likes. I do wish, however, that Bill Nighy had more scenes. The flick is fun and entertaining, one you'll enjoy while watching but probably won't dwell on the next day.

Drive-in Saturday

In this weekly feature, I review in one sentence or less videos/DVDs of movies that you either have seen already or wouldn't bother to see.

"Putney Swope" (1969), directed by Robert Downey Sr.: Dead-on satire but a little dated.

"Girl with Green Eyes" (1964), directed by Desmond Davis: Very British, very early '60s, and how I love Peter Finch.

"Freaky Friday" (1976), directed by Gary Nelson: Rent the remake with Jamie Lee Curtis instead.

Three Yues and Yue're In

The New York Times is in love! As I mentioned yesterday, the Times simply can't get enough of Chinese artist Yue Minjun. And today--for the third time in a week and a half--Yue is featured in yet again another article. What's going on here? I'm tempted to bite and go to the Chinese Institute and see what all the fuss is about. (Image via New York Times)