The Story of Jazz

I'm seriously into Jazz now... and this documentary is a good start point. While being a rock and roll fan for some time, now I understand why Jazz will always be an important inspiration. Good jazz is about good musicianship. A good jazz musician is often a real artist, who has proficiency/creativity with their instruments and ability to compose rhythm and harmony that conveys a certain feeling or emotion, whether it's for dancing (swing), or late night drinking (mellow jazz) or tripping (free jazz). The story of Jazz itself is quite amazing. Within its golden era, between 1920s to 1950s, it has evolved itself so much, and produced so many good artists and good music. Whereas rock and roll... it's much too complicated to compare. Well, there's no need to compare anyway, good music is good music.

PressPausePlay

PressPausePlay from House of Radon on Vimeo.

A very good attempt to depict our digital/creative world (music, book, films, design). There are two sides of argument, "technology is great, allows more people to access, and talents have platforms to reach their audience" and "cheap technology leads to democratized culture, art becomes everyone's playground, eventually a mess." I agree with the second one... I don't care where technology can take us to, and I don't care if there's any great new music, I just wanna go on Internet exile for like 5 years, and see if I miss out anything. Probably not.

30 Century Man

“Even David Bowie - the executive producer of this exceptionally smart documentary - admits it: Scott Walker is the original avant-garde crooner.” The Rolling Stone

“A fascinating meditation on the nexus of art and celebrity with a deeply charismatic figure at its center…one of the most remarkable music documentaries in ages. Not to be missed.” Box Office Magazine

I really like it, because I really like his music, and his personal philosophy, and his philosophy about music. If you haven't heard of him, this film can be a good introduction. But it's really rewarding to watch this documentary after spending some time with his music. It's also very interesting that he never listen to his records once it's finished (that's why he never tour). I remember all the master filmmakers are like that too.

The Art of Flight

Let me tell you what I love about sports.

Sports are inventions with a set of certain rules to exhibit physical human motions. It kind of reduce human capability purely to its physical form, with one simple goal. All the other daily concerns are blocked out. Your whole body focuses on acting for this one thing, possibly a physical act with immense complexity. All the efforts you put into achieving it, is for this one act to happen. Isn't that a beautiful way to live? It'd be a much easier life.

However, no one can live like that, not even sportsmen. Sports in modern society are merely entertainment. And when the sport is presented like this one here, it's a really nice threat. Watch only in HD, would you appreciate the beauty of physical motion and white landscapes.

Stop Making Sense

Talking Heads in this movie are what I'd call "in the zone". They are ecstatic at playing music and enjoying themselves. I really appreciate that. Sometimes, I think musicians are whores, they repeat themselves just to earn more money and keep customers happy. But, not for Talking Heads, they play because they really enjoy it. Rarely, I see a performance like this, recorded and edited so well. It is quite incredible. No doubt, Byrne is a genius at performing, but what really hooked me up is his genius of songwriting. And Tina? So adorable when she dances ♥! For rock documentary, this is kind of perfect for me, you don't get much better than this.

記錄人生

從台北飛到倫敦，要飛十四個小時．通常坐飛機都會超頭痛難過的我，這次帶了鎮定劑．上飛機喝了紅酒，服了鎮定劑後，開始看電影「賽德克巴萊」的第一部。看著看著就得到了我想要的效果－睡著。說是台灣第一部史詩電影，但看起來真的挺沒感的。睡了五六個小時後起來，精神果然有好一點，飛機上如果一直昏睡，真的是件很痛苦的事。但如果真的有睡，精神上真的有差．起來吃完晚餐後，沒興趣再看賽德克巴萊．就開始看起了紀錄片，一連看了兩部。

'Upside Down' - The Creation Records Story

For me, I've already known most of the story. It's good to see these people reflecting the glory days, though I could only understand half of what they are saying. It's a must-see documentary for those who love creation records artists. I feel... the documentary is a bit too short, I wish to see more footages of them, riot live gig, crazy backstage, people stoned with E, or whatever drugs they were taking. Well... too bad you don't really get to see much new. Nonetheless, the ending message is good, "you see, it's a fallacy. our dreams are so huge, enormous and vast, we can never fully meet them. The rule really is to be grateful for everything." indeed.

Visual Acoustics

Director: Eric Bricker
Writers: Eric Bricker, Jessica Hundley
Cast: Julius Shulman, Frances Anderton, Tom Ford and Frank O. Gehry
Narrator: Dustin Hoffman
Year: 2009
IMDB

My Rating: 8/10

A documentary about the most influential architecture photographer. Visually stunning. I didn't know anything about this guy Julius Shulman, I was attracted to this film, simply because of the poster. If you're into modern architecture and photography, watch it.

Tokyo-Ga

Director/Writer: Wim Wenders
Year: 1985 (Germany)
IMDB
My Rating: 8/10

This film is a documentary of Japan, inspired by Yasujiro Ozu. It reminds me a lot of San Soleil, another great documentary of 80s' Japan. But I guess this is strictly for Wenders' fans, and maybe people who like Ozu's works. I am both, and I love it. Wish it was longer though.

Food Inc.

before i launch into this documentary, i'd like mention two independent black and white films made in the mid 80s. both of them commented on our food today.

Stranger Than Paradise
Eva: What does that meat come from? 
Willie: I guess it comes from a cow. 
Eva: From a cow? It doesn't even look like meat. 
Willie: Eva, stop bugging me, will you? You know, this is the way we eat in America. I got my meat, I got my potatoes, I got my vegetables, I got my dessert, and I don't even have to wash the dishes. 

Mala Noche
i can't remember what exactly Walt Curtis said in the film. but it goes something like we have to kill the animal so we know what we are eating. but now we just buy it from the supermarket, we don't even know where it comes from. god know what it's inside our food. it's just not right.

So do you know your food?
Just watch this documentary and learn something about your food.
I'm not suggesting this is a perfect documentary about food. But I do think this is a very precious chance to glimpse inside the big corporations, that we normally only see their logos and big shinning advertisements. I do think the message sent from the film is quite good. Recommended. These are some shocking facts from the movie Food, Inc:

1. No comment: Robert Kenner, the film's producer, contacted 50 of the largest food producers in America, including Tyson, Monsanto, and Smithfield Farms. None agreed to be interviewed, and none would allow cameras anywhere near their production facilities. Food, Inc. took six years to make, and a large percent of Kenner's production costs went toward legal protection from the aforementioned companies.

2. Grass is good: We've all heard why grass-fed beef is better. But do you really know why it's better? Cows are not designed to digest corn, and when they do, their stomachs become breeding grounds for E.coli bacteria. Five days of feeding grass to Bessie would kill nearly all of this bacteria, but apparently that's too much of a hassle. Instead, meat plants are "washing" ground beef in ammonia and chlorine before packaging it to sell to grocery stores. Delicious.

3. McShit: The average hamburger contains meat from nearly 100 cattle. It gets better. Mass production cows are often raised knee-deep in their own manure. They're butchered so fast that there often isn't enough time to clean them. The end result? Cow pie in your cheeseburger.

4. Something smells rotten: The USDA is allowed to regulate what constitutes organic food and when your milk is past due, but it does not have the authority to shut down a meat plant if they are selling tainted meat. If the USDA can't stop this, who does? No one, that's who. Creepy.

5. Top heavy Hell: The majority of mass-produced chickens are raised in the dark. Their breasts are so large that they're unable to walk. But that's okay, because they're not allowed to. The antibiotics they are fed to keep them breathing in such conditions end up right there in every bite of your sandwich.

Sans Soleil / Sunless

In a way, this is a masterpiece about post-modernity.

This is not a documentary and definitely not an ordinary movie.

It needs no classification. It's finest art and poetry.

It is whatever it is on Chris Marker's mind.

The way he put them together is fucking brilliant.

The images and narrations are so well put together.

It makes you think, about society, culture, humanity...

I absolutely adore this.

The Criterion Collection is best!

Complete texts of the film

Sans Soleil (1983)

Good Copy Bad Copy

- a documentary about the current state of copyright and culture

just to get a taste...


it's a very good documentary, you can see lots of crazy cultures going on in the world. which is good for your own knowledge, about what kind of place we live in, our digital culture, and so on.

If you wanna see the whole thing, click the Website: http://www.goodcopybadcopy.net/
It's free!