A Bow to Low Brow

Yes, I saw Poultrygeist last night. It's low-brow, offensive, and idiotic. It's also really good. If John Waters were a machismo director interested in horror films, it would look something like this. That's not to take anything away from the team at Troma Films, who made not only this movie but the unusually awesome Toxic Avenger franchise.

Without even dipping deep into this finger licking (then vomiting) plot, I'll just say that there's a lot of Chicken-Zombies, projectile vomiting, bathroom disasters, musical numbers, and cringe inducing sex acts.

If you love Ed Wood, B-Movies, or Slasher flicks, this is for you.

The Career Sludge

On an unusually personal note, I lost my job as a freelancer at Victoria's Secret yesterday. This happened just minutes after I sent word of me putting in my resignation. There's no serious loss, but still a minor disappointment of being let go. Today is my last day and I start work as a staffed web designer just across the street at Random House in two weeks. I look forward to Random House because, after three interviews, I know everyone I'll be working with and they all seem great.

There was surprise from my coworkers about my firing from Victoria's Secret. The coworker I share a space with, Josh, is using my calm apathy to my firing and developing it into a comedic sketch for his improv class. I do take some of these events with a grain of salt. I prefer not to be someplace I'm not wanted and once I disconnect from a place or person, my indifference is hard to shake.

"Neural Buddhists"

I just want to point out a column by David Brooks of The New York Times entitled Neural Buddhists.

In it Brooks writes about the changing landscape of science versus the spiritual. A decade ago science would look towards tangible reasons for the actions of human emotion or the psyche. Atoms existed at the base of our being, with chemicals and neurons dictating how we behave. There was no free will and science ultimately (intentionally or not) set out to disprove god.

Apparently, things have changed. Rather than the brain being considered as a computer, it's viewed as an idiosyncratic organ. Things such as love and belief are crucial to brain development. Also, our genes aren't only set up for self-survival but "instincts for fairness, empathy and attachment" as well.

The last two paragraphs sum up as follows:

In their arguments with Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins, the faithful have been defending the existence of God. That was the easy debate. The real challenge is going to come from people who feel the existence of the sacred, but who think that particular religions are just cultural artifacts built on top of universal human traits. It’s going to come from scientists whose beliefs overlap a bit with Buddhism.

In unexpected ways, science and mysticism are joining hands and reinforcing each other. That’s bound to lead to new movements that emphasize self-transcendence but put little stock in divine law or revelation. Orthodox believers are going to have to defend particular doctrines and particular biblical teachings. They’re going to have to defend the idea of a personal God, and explain why specific theologies are true guides for behavior day to day. I’m not qualified to take sides, believe me. I’m just trying to anticipate which way the debate is headed. We’re in the middle of a scientific revolution. It’s going to have big cultural effects.

A realization of the sacred without dogma. I see this as a hopeful theological perspective for the future. Sometimes I think modernism went too far to destroy eternal principles. When religion and political revolution failed, I feel like people have been picking up the pieces for decades. Post-modernism has at times been the movement of historical disappointment. Perhaps we can finally move forward.

Similar Artist

Given that I named this blog "Art in Text", it's funny how little visual "art" I cover. Perhaps it's the result of ADD or just a yearning for experience.

Anyway, I caught sight of an artist who I really identify with. Since we do similar looking art, I suppose that's inevitable. Her name is Silvia Bächli and she just had a show at Peter Freeman.

Bellow are some samples:

The Scavengers

Saturday was Metro Metro's annual New York City Scavenger Hunt. This year it took place within the area of Central Park.

I was in one of sixty-five groups of four (thanks to teammates Michael, Meredith, and Taylor). It began at 9 o'clock and went until 4:30. It was brutal, but surprising given all of the history to be found within Central Park. I've been to the park a number of times, but quickly realized my visits were superficial. As in any area of New York, every step on every block has a hundred stories. The hunt revitalizes history with the pomp of costumes and good natured play.

Following the hunt (and a nap) Metro Metro throws a big party with ziti and free drinks. However, it was after all this hullabaloo that I left New York's History and became part of a contemporary cultural event; a house party. At around 1 am James and I arrived at a multi-floored, multi-apartment party in Williamsburg. I danced, I drank some more, and didn't leave until 4:30 in the morning. It was a very long, exciting day.

Vampires have feelings, too.

It's film focus time in New York City as the Tribeca Film Festival slogs along through the weekend. Normally, despite being somewhat of a cinephile, this festival has never really turned me on. It's just too difficult to view films unless you have ridiculously advanced notice or ties to the industry. The crowds, however positive they may be for smaller productions, also deter me from seeing other independent movies that may otherwise be playing without the theatrics.

However, I was fortunate enough to get two free V.I.P. tickets to see a film by Swedish director Tomas Alfredson called Let the Right One In.

Let the Right One In is an unusual mix of adolescent love story, coming of age tale, and Vampire horror. The story centers around Oskar, a lonely twelve year-old boy who lives in a working class area of Stockholm. He's bullied violently and spends his nights reading about murders. His other activities include stabbing trees while imagining they're his torturers receiving necessary revenge.

A "father and daughter" soon move in unannounced in the apartment next to Oskar's. Eli, the new girl, and Oskar quickly engage in conversation and become friends. However, the relationship is made complicated by the fact that Eli is a vampire. Her adult male caretaker also targets boys in order to feed Eli's blood lust.

Somehow the story is told in a way that gore turns to dark comedy or heartwarming instances. You'll squirm, you'll giggle, and then go "awww" just as a victim goes lifeless (or limbless, headless, etc..).

This movie has little exposure, but if you get the chance please go see it.