This week in NYTimes Arts, 12/5-12/7
Yes it’s your penultimate opportunity to… tell us what interested you in the NYTimes Arts section! Remember to save your comments on your own computer, in case of any future crash.
What else? I trust you are all working diligently on your reviews and podcast of said reviews. Don’t forget to post them to the blog by Wednesday, and also to bring a printed copy of the written review to class. While you are welcome of course to have fun with your podcasts, I am expecting that you are trying to do a Good Job in terms of effectively communicating your review as though you were the intelligent and creative human I know you to be… in other words, please not as many helium voices on this one…
And do be sure to bring your Flip cameras and laptops (with your working version of iMovie installed, the one we used in the demo with Lynn) with you on Wednesday too.
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In Friday’s New York Times, the article, “’Secret Millionaire’ Makes Mark” really caught my attention. Over the last couple of weeks I didn’t think that I watched any television at all. Apparently I did. I was in my living room, typing away on my MacBook as my dad was watching “Secret Millionaire.” My Dad was just one of 7.4 million people who tuned into the premiere on Wednesday. I remember hearing the show in the background as I was having philosophical conversations with Corey over I-Chat, but I had no idea that it was the premiere of Fox’s newest reality T.V. show.
The show itself was pretty interesting and a spin on the more common cutthroat reality T.V. shows that I am used to. It was a nice alternative to those normal reality shows where they throw people onto an island and have them fight for survival and a large cash prize, or those shows where they give some celebrity undeserved authority that the celebrity abuses for the hour long episode. This show gives money to people who really need it, and they spend the entire show making us understand why those people need it. However, it does have some of that dishonesty that makes reality shows interesting. Similar to “Punked” on MTV, this show allows millionaires to go in disguise and seek out individuals or families who they could give a large check too. At the end of the show, they reveal that they are actually millionaires who are spying on the people, and they hand over the check.
In today’s day and age, the world needs a bit of charity. The show may even cause people to become a bit more generous to those in need. I think it’s the most humane out of all the reality shows on T.V. I just hope it can keep the viewer’s interest with its unconventional makeup.
Of course it is obvious to everyone that we are in an economic turmoil. Everything is affected by the depressing economy we’re currently in, yet I am surprised to see that museums can also be directly affected. In “Soaring in Art, Museum Trips Over Finances” in the Friday NYT, it notes that the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles is facing quite a big financial crisis. Not only is the museum under a huge deficit for putting the matter of art at first priority, it is also under a dangerous situation for the possibility of breaking the law by restricting money funded by nonprofit organizations. This can lead to something as serious as closing the museum. Most people don’t want to see this iconic structure removed from the city. Some suggests that the only issue is that the museum was under a poor management and the situation can be improve if the management is replaced. Nevertheless, it is upsetting to see how such beneficial museums can be so greatly affected by today’s economy.
Hey, Walter; let me call you out on a spelling error. Haha
“…I watched any television at tall.” –I just had to do that.
Anyway, from what you said, the show seems pretty interesting. I don’t know what the show is about because the article doesn’t say much. However, your comments on how it helps people in real need reminds me of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” I really love that show! So many people work together to create a new home for a family in need–they’re mostly altruistic, but, unfortunately, suffer from financial problems. Anyway, maybe I’ll have a chance to stumble upon that show one day.
The article “Now in Residence: Walls of Luscious Austerity” was also very interesting. Museo di San Marco is a three story building covered by the masterpieces of one artist, Sol LeWitt. The museum has a wide open space and large windows, perfect for the 100+ murals LeWitt did from 1969-2007. What was interesting was that, everything was created from such simple supplies: pencils, ink, paper, brushes, etc. LeWitt could turn any empty wall into art.
Sol LeWitt’s main style consists of lines, shapes, and many colors. From this description, I find the walls to be very simple. As a person who loves simple things, I would definitely go to this exhibit if it were closer. Simple things give viewers a sense of the past, when they were younger. But by looking at it longer, the paintings would make someone think. Many people worked with LeWitt, even though all the designs were created by him. I think visiting his artwork would be a great and relaxing experience.
Wow, I’m dyslectic. Thanks Lelia 😀
Today I read “The Letters of Oscar Wilde” because the name Oscar Wilde sounded so familiar to me. Then I realized that he was the guy that wrote “The Picture of Dorian Gray”. I read that book in high school, but I don’t remember much from it. I remember doing tableaus after reading the book. I think it is a great book that relates to our class. It discusses art and the topic of what it is for. The statement “all art is quite useless” is a fascinating topic to discuss along with “what is art”. Art is very fun to look at but usually it is something just to look at. But then again if everything is art, art is useful. Also sometimes art is used in therapy so it is useful. Anyways “The Picture of Dorian Gray” is a great book. Although I don’t remember the book much, I remember enjoying it.
Joyce, the article you read seemed interesting so I also read it. I agree that it is kind of surprising that museums are having trouble because from the past article it seems that the rich people are still buying expensive arts. But then again, most people are having financial trouble and I think people would cut out luxuries like visiting the museum first if they are short on money. I agree this is very sad because museums contain our history and I think everyone should be able to enjoy this.
More video game reviews? Awesome.
“When the Lich King Calls: Lured Back to Warcraft” is a tragic review by a sad man. Maybe. Having clocked over 3,500 hours into a video game says a lot about a grown man; although I think I’ve massed quite a bit over that during my early teenage years… How he, or I (for that matter), managed to find a girlfriend is a conundrum too perplexing for any logical man to tackle. Eventually this critic, like myself, realized that this game was interfering with the rest of his life and promptly quit. However, he has recently picked up an expansion pack for World of Warcraft, and has let the adventure unfold before him…
One of the first things to run through his head was “Would I get sucked in again?” This is a testimony to just how addictive this game can get; it is almost a drug. Playing with more curiosity than competitiveness, Mr. Schiesel realized that there is much more to this game than beating everyone else. This is one of the crowning achievements of the Blizzard series and its franchises: the different ways that a player approaches the game CHANGES the game entirely. Instead of racing for the top, he chose to become a journeyman, working at his pace.
I won’t play this game (or any other MMO) due my COMPLETE LACK OF SELF CONTROL (FAILING OUT OF COLLEGE), but I’m glad that I am able to appreciate its merits as more than just a way to kill time (or dragons) – but as an art.
Trains shaped like ladybugs? Eagles made of cones and cloves? HUH? New York City buildings and bridges made of only wood!? Bamboo!? what is this nonsense!? Well, it’s all part of an annual exhibition at the New York Botanical Garden! My house is literally a 1 minute walk from the entrance of the garden but I’ve only been there about once in my whole life…
In “Where All New Yorkers Can See the City Anew,” I was surprised to learn about a new attraction at the garden that seems really interesting! At this Holiday Train Show, a tiny train runs through New York ( a miniature version). Everything is made from wood and other things found in nature. For example, Rockefeller Center is made from okra pods! I have no clue what that is but the name sounds fascinating! Yankee Stadium is made from rose petals! (Oh, la la!) and the spiral in the Guggenheim Museum is created with the use of fungi! Okay, I think that’s enough exclamation marks for one weekend…
“Popcorn Chronicles,” the life and times of Corey Harris. Eh, sounds right. The review concerned the new book ““HAVE YOU SEEN . . .?” A Personal Introduction to 1,000 Films”” that contains one thousand (shocking!) short essays on films that the author, David Thomson, has seen. An obese book of more than a thousand pages, “Have You Seen…?” does not impose the author’s views onto the reader, but rather share the appreciation that the author has for movies. Thomson, 67, makes it quite intimidating for me to tackle this book since I’m sure opening a book and reading a review about a movie that I’ve actually seen would be comparable to shooting an arrow with a blindfold on, and striking a poet.
Critic Bruce Handy writes this review as if it were a checklist, and that he was obligated to list movies from the book rather than touch upon the ones he really enjoyed or really hated. I would have gone the other route to give “flavor” to the book, rather than “shape”.
Secret millionaire seems to be getting a little bit more attention than just a one paragraph “blurb” this weekend. In Alessandra Stanley’s article, “The Rich Save Their Souls (and a Few Poor People),” she gives us an alternative look at the T.V. show that I failed to mention in my first NY times post this weekend.
The show is, of course, geared toward helping the poor people who really need and really deserve some extra financial help. However, it also helps the rich people who are giving away the money. As the article points out, the wealthy people on the show were once very big spendthrifts. They would waste thousands of dollars on unnecessary purchases, simply because they had the money. After spending a week living amongst the poor, these people see the error in their ways. They understand how terrible it is to be without money and go from being wasteful spenders to frugal philanthropists; another heartwarming feature of the reality show.
The article also goes on a tangent about more political occurrences, such as staging the show during an economic recession where millionaires are starting to fade away. Alessandra also talks about some political corruption and some of Fox’s broadcasting strategies. All in all, she is trying to point out that these well-off people are starting to see how it is to lose good portions of their wealth. The show seems to be addressing that idea, and is hopefully going to spark a little bit of generosity from these upscale individuals, hopefully before they too face the misfortunes of poverty.
Like Leila I also read “Now in Residence: Walls of Luscious Austerity” from the Friday NYT. It was about Sol LeWitt’s arts. The described it to be very simple consisting of only paper, color ink. pencils, and crayons. These are the simple supplies even elementary kids know how to use. In addition the art is simplistic with with lines and colors. I agree with Leila that I would love to his work as well. I’ve always been a big fan of simple things with lots of colors and I think might the perfect exhibit to see!
I also found the article “What the Last Emperor Coveted, and Other Pearls ” interesting about the last Chinese emperor’s art collection. I thought it was kind of sad how the last emperor Pu Yi became king at 3 and died as park attendant during Communist China. The article talked about various works of art and calligraphy that Pu Yi has smuggled out of the Forbidden City and some that Liaoning museum managed to recover. I never really had a interest in Chinese paintings because I thought they were dull and I can’t even understand the calligraphy written on the paintings. The article mentioned during the Qing Dynasty there an one emperor who loved collecting these paintings. I was surprised to read in the article that he forbid people from owning artwork by specific artists. I just thought it was interesting how valuable art was to the ancient Chinese.
The annual average cost of autism per child is approximately $45,000. Usually a family of a child with autism suffers greatly from not only the financial problems but alo other challenges. “Autistic Son Reveals Familiy Shame and Strength” reviews the movie “The Black Balloon,” which depicts the life of a middle-class family whose oldest son is suffering from a severe autism. When I read this article, it reminded me of a famous Korean movie that also illustrated a family whose oldest son suffered from a severe autism. The stories of these families are breathtaking: their unconditional love, continuing patience, and the overcoming of once a broken family relationship. The mothers of those families usually have most trouble becuase they cannot deal with their sons eternally suffering. The mothers spend all of their time protecting the autistic child, which sometimes lead the other kids into the dark. This disease has an everlasting effect on every family member. I am happy to see that there is a movie about a family living and dealing with autism everyday. I hope many people will watch this movie and learn, at least through the screen, what families with autism have to go through.
I remember commenting on someone’s blurb about the New York Botanical Garden because I really wanted to go check it out. So when I saw Diane’s interesting comment about the annual exhibition at the New York Botanical Garden, I had to open the site and read the NY Times article, “Where All New Yorkers Can See the City Anew.” Reading this article, illustrating the various parts of exhibition, elevated my excitement about upcoming holidays. I want to see the stonework of Ellis Island’s building made from elm bark, the Lady Liberty draped in palm leaves and grasses, a train shaped like a ladybug, and much more. The idea of bringing the New York into the botanical garden is an absolute 10-out-of-10: enjoying the relaxation brought by nature along with a chance to have an overview of our own beloved city. I am so jealous of Diane that she lives right by this place! How can you not visit this place everyday? Hopefully I will be able to allocate my time wisely over the break to visit this awesome place in the future!
I didn’t find the New York Times Art Section to be very interesting this Sunday. I made it all the way to “The Week Ahead: Dec. 7-Dec.13” without finding anything I really wanted to read. After skimming through the articles again, I found “‘Doubt’ and Doubts of a Workingman,” which ending up being a bit more interesting that I first expected it to be.
I always thought “making it” meant seeing your show on Broadway. For John Patrick Shanley’s play “Doubt,” Broadway just wasn’t good enough. The Tony Award winning play has made it past Broadway, into a local theater near you! The movie is also getting its shot at an award⎯“Doubt” has already been nominated this year for an Oscar.
Not all of his plays have been as much of a success as “Doubt”; critics bashed his play entitled, “Romantic Poetry.” He also faced failure when he directed the film: “Joe Versus the Volcano.” In spite of his past difficulties, Shanley has stuck with what he loves to do and has continued producing plays and now films. That is not to say that “Doubt” is his one and only successful play. He has also written “Moonstruck,” “Danny and the Deep Blue Sea,” “Italian American Reconciliation” and “Four Dogs and a Bone”⎯each of which were a great success.
“Doubt” has a lot to do with how Shanley grew up. He bases the play/film on a lot of his own childhood. When they were actually filming the movie, he made sure that it was shot in his own little hometown; he said that if it were shot anywhere else, the effect would be lost. He takes a lot of pride into his work, and really cares about what he is bringing to the stage. His effort shows and has made “Doubt” what it is today.
Daniel Guzmán is a 44 year old artist who incorporates his heritage into his artwork. In “Confronting His Culture and Himself”, plenty of high quality photographs of his productions are shown. His exhibit is at the Harris Lieberman Gallery in SoHo and his artwork features items made from carrizo, which is “a traditional cane used by the Mixtec people of Oaxaca to make everything from baskets to buildings. One of the pieces looked like a freaky scarecrow: it is a shirt and a pair of pants that is stretching out on the sticks and it wears a black mask for a head. He is most famous for his ink drawings though, which are also prevalent in the exhibit. He still lives in Mexico and does not want to live anywhere else.
wow Diane’s comment on the “Where All New Yorkers Can See the City Anew” seems VERY attractive and I feel like I should go visit the Botanic Garden as soon as possible…But it’s getting cold…I’ll see, maybe I’ll go visit it as soon as I have time. It better be as promising as you said it would Diane!
In this weekend’s NY Times Arts section, “College Radio Maintains Its Mojo” caught my eye because it made me think about the fact that I really haven’t paid any attention at all to the CUNY radio. Just as the article says, it’s probably very true that every year less and less students tune in to college radio, with iPods and internet streaming and podcasts and all — Everything’s going digital now. So it’s not surprising that some college radio stations are going digital, too. And not only do they get listeners from local college students, but you can listen to college radio from pretty much anywhere in the world – which would be great for promoting college bands, reaching a broader non-college student audience, and allowing traveling students to still keep up regularly.
I also saw YouTube Live not to long ago (which I also wrote a blurb about), and that had Katy Perry in it… If there’s one thing I learned from that performance, it’s that Katy Perry is, indeed, somewhat eccentric – although this fact was probably already obvious from her choices in subjects for many of her songs. “Finding Her Pop Thrills Mostly Where The Girls Are” talks a little bit about Perry’s musical career, as well as some of the other artists that she listens to. I definitely did not know that she released a little-known gospel album in her teens – an extremely odd fact, considering her current style… just goes to show you how much people can change.
Haha, Diane. You do make the Garden seem very attractive and promising. We should just crash your house one day and visit the garden together (:
“Translating Love and the Unspeakable” was an interesting article to read. It’s about a German book translated into English and then directed onto film. Many producers were interested in taking this job. However, the hardships arised when they wanted the film to be in English; most of the actors were German. The protagonist was a young boy of 15 who often has sex with a woman much older than him. He then begins to teach her how to read, which changes her life. Because the book is all about reading and sex, I think the film would be terrible. This reminds me of a previous article I read: how some books are not meant to become movies. Though the producers were very confident, they no longer seem to be able to reach their expectations.
Like Lelia I read, I read the article “Translating Love and the Unspeakable”. The story seems interesting but I was more interested in the fact that the story had been a German book translated into English and then made into a movie. Because I speak two languages, I know that two languages are very different and many times if they are translated the meaning will change or be stronger or weaker. Everyone may understand paintings and other visual things because they do not have to be translated. But books are different because people need to understand the language to understand the book. Adding to this the translation has been made into a movie and many times the movies are just not as book. So I really wonder how the movie will be.
I also read the article “Reimagining Mahler as He Imagined It”. I had always wondered why the conductor was important. I knew they led the group, but I wondered about their actual act of conducting. In the article it says that the conductor has a certain style. I would like to have a chance to see a music piece performed by two different conductors and look for a difference myself. I would like to see if I could find a difference and if I could, how different the two performances are.
I thought the article called “Players Plying Their Love’s Labors” interesting from the Sunday NYT. It’s about the show Slings & Arrows that is supposed to entertain people who can’t stand Shakespeare. They perform a different play each season and so far have done Hamlet, Macbeth, and King Lear. I think this shows sounds really interesting. I honestly I not able to appreciate Shakespeare’s works but it is too difficult to understand and I think the plots are dull. However it seem like this might be just the show for me because it includes a little mix of comedy and tragedy. The article pokes fun of the flaws of the cast members but mentions that when they act in the scenes they seem just perfect.
I also read “Bewitched, Bothered and Back” It was about Stockard Channing and then I saw the words Grease. I didn’t recognize her at first but later on it came to me she played Betty Rizzo, the brunette with short hair in the movie. I love that movie so much! It was also interesting to find out that Tommy Lee Jones and she went to Harvard.
In the Friday Times I read “Soaring in Art, Museum Trips Over Finances.” Like Joyce, I was surprised also of how museums can be affected by the current economic conditions. It is a shame if certain museums have to be closed down because they are the ones that contribute to the cultures of cities. If the wealthy are still buying expensive arts, it is really surprising how they are not spending money on visits to the museums.
I also read “Illuminating the Dark Ages.” The art found in Bronze-Age Europe lies behind the Grand Staircase at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The gallery containing Western European Medieval Art has been renovated from the time when the Met first opened in 1895. Based on the descriptions from the article, it appears that art during the medieval times dealt mainly with religious topics before the rise of secular, worldly ideas during the Renaissance. I agree with the author of how if you are not that familiar with the Bible, you can still learn a lot from the Bible stories that are constantly repeated over and over. Art forms during the medieval times were just in their crude beginnings and were not fully developed yet. I think it will be an enlightening experience to visit this exhibition at the Met. Being that I am not a religious person at all, for me this method of becoming acquainted with the Bible will be much more useful than actually reading it even though that’s important also. By observing the art and learning the stories behind them, it will make much more lasting impressions on me.
In the Sunday Times I read “Players Plying Their Love’s Labors.” I agree with Nancy of how this would be a fun show to watch because it is a mixture of comedy and tragedy. However, I really enjoy Shakespeare plays despite the tough language. It really gives me a sense of accomplishment when I am able to decipher the language and understand the plots.
When I think of the infamous Richard Nixon, only one image comes to mind. It’s an image that has transcended the confines of time and has become immortal in the hearts of every single American. The picture of which I speak is of Nixon boarding Air Force One shortly after his resignation of President of the United States. He made peace signs out of both hands, knowing full well that his scandal would go down in history books for centuries to come.
One thing I didn’t know about Mr. Nixon, however, was the fact that he had a 30 hour back and forth discussion with English television personalty David Frost. The interview, which came nearly three years after the Watergate Scandal, garnered nationwide attention. It was considered a profound risk for both parties involved.
Ron Howard’s, “Frost/Nixon” is essentially a film adaptation of the epic interview. Reviewer Manohla Dargis of the New York Times calls the film “a soothing, agreeably amusing experience.”
I found the review to be very well written. It entailed a detailed analysis of the film (which has been gathering much Oscar buzz) and a very thorough review. I, personally, am a huge fan of drama and films that entail an extensive amount of dialogue. For this reason, Pulp Fiction is my favorite film. The author of the article describes the movie as being a “talkathon,” which might turn some potential viewers away without giving the film its rightful chance to entertain. The subject matter, as the author claims, is inherently interesting and the execution of conveying that subject matter in a feature length film is rather amazing.
Personally, in an era of film dominated by the cheap thrills of haphazard car chases and gratuitous sex scenes, it’s refreshing to see such a film garner such buzz. It’s my belief that the critics will receive it well. The common American will put it aside and go borrow Die Hard from Netflix.
I’m a big fan of Kate Beckinsale. I mean, what’s not to love? She’s absolutely stunning, and she has a British accent on top of that. She’s the female version of this Robert Pattinson kid everyone’s swooning over. She’s SO amazing, that I endured 2 hours of garbage called Click just because she was in it. I endured another hour and a half of Van Helsing, you guessed it, just because she was in it.
Does it follow that a movie is made good because she’s in it? Absolutely not. “Nothing But the Truth” is director Rod Lurie’s film adaptation of a real life story involving a female reporter getting thrown into jail in order to protect her source.
As the author of the article explains, “The film explores the toll that ambition and principle can exact on reporters and spies who also happen to be mothers.” I feel that this is a RIDICULOUS inclusion. If the film is going to be a political thriller, there is by no means a way to fit children into the mix. I, for one, detest when a film tries to become sentimental when sentimentality isn’t possible, given the subject matter.
Furthermore, I do not condone the casting of Kate Beckinsale. Worse yet is the casting of Matt Dillon opposite her. The physical attractiveness of each actor will tremendously detract from the role, in my opinion. This movie, in my eyes, will not be taken seriously. I do, however, like the casting of Alan Alda. His sagacious appearance is always welcome.
The premise of the film is exciting, and I do plan to see it eventually. I’ll be sure to tell everyone, after having seen it, that Kate Beckinsale and Matt Dillon were terrible choices for the role.
Terrrrrible choices.
Another broadway closing. It feels just like yesterday when the show “Grease: You’re the One That I Want” had it’s finale. Although I watched the show once, I never knew the winners. Whether they were great or not I don’t know. While most broadway shows seem to last for years. Grease lasted maybe a year, so it seems. It played 554 performances and 31 previews. So maybe they did last more than a year. I guess the production didn’t do as great as they had hoped. Perhaps because they chose actors to play Sandy and Danny from a reality contest similar to American Idol, the production of Grease did not do as great as it could have. However, maybe this winter break I’ll go watch Grease. If only I had known earlier.
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