Cansei de Ser Sexy

I feel pretty late to the game with this band; I've been hearing about them for a year or so now, and I still don't own any of their music. It does appeal to me though; their tunes are catchy and danceable, two things I prize highly. I also like the fact the band is five girls--singing, strumming, drumming--and one boy, not the usual mix of bands I enjoy. That said, you might be wondering why I am writing about a band on our video-centered blog.

Well, I recently watched a bunch of their videos on the internet, and I really liked them. They look good, I like the concepts, they don't get boring--for music videos, or any kind of video really, they are right on. As far as I can tell, each video was directed by a different person. Overall, CSS has accumulated a nice little video collection. Please peruse below, and enjoy! I think Alala is my favorite of the bunch.

Pretend We're Alala directed by Cat Solen


Let's Make Love and Listen to Death from Above by ???


Alcohol by Jared Eberhardt


You can also check out the CSS website, MySpace, and YouTube channel.

Kool as Heck: robbinschild newest baby, C.L.U.E.

Taking the thrifting bug to all new levels with the color coordination. I am not worthy.

From the PS122 website: http://www.ps122.org/performances/clue.html

"The performance as a whole is a kind of choreographed rainbow, with each band dancing its own dance. And they are wonderful dances."

- Holland Cotter, The New York Times "Art in Review" March 30, 2007 (C.L.U.E. - the video)

Choreography team robbinschilds are known for creating acutely visual works that explore the intersection of human movement and architecture, be it natural or manmade. C.L.U.E. (color location ultimate experience) seamlessly combines a movement-based video with an acutely visual live dance performance and an original score performed live by Seattle rock band Kinski.

This live performance installation becomes a roving landscape in and of itself as well as a riveting exploration of the intersection between movement and architecture, both natural and manmade.

Pistols Kill Ponies aka Lena Dunham

Pistols Kill Ponies is a film collective consisting primarily of one member, Lena Dunham. Through Pistols Kill Ponies, Lena has produced several short film projects, many of which she also stars in. To me, Lena's works are elegant, personal, humorous, and very inspiring. I'd like to share a few of them here. The YouTube quality is not the best, so if you want to watch with better quality, and also more movies, go to the Pistols Kill Ponies website.

Hooker on Campus


Pressure


Brownie and Chickie


She's so good! Click here to check out the PKP MySpace, or here to read Lena's blogspot.

CINEMATEXAS VIKING FUNERAL

It's official, and there will be good-byes. Cinematexas is hosting one last film festival this weekend to celebrate.

Saturday, Dec. 1st:

4:30pm: RAGNA-ROCK. One of two compilations of new work by esteemed Cinematexas alumni like James Fotopoulos, Ben Coonley, Daniel Cockburn, Stephanie Gray, etc.)
7pm: UT HOLLYWOOD SHOWCASE. A local screening of this year's best UT-produced student films, which screened at the DGA Theater in LA in September.
9:15pm: ASSASSINS: A FILM CONCERNING RIMBAUD. An early experiment by Todd Haynes and an clear precursor to his new Dylan non-biopic I'M NOT THERE.

Sunday, Dec. 2nd:

2pm: RAGNA-ROLL: More madness from Cinematexas chums.
4:30pm: INTERKOSMOS. A delightfully tongue-in-cheek homage to a fictional East German space project, Jim Finn's INTERKOSMOS uses recreated newsreels combined with musical interludes to resurrect the '70s in all its Brezhnev-era glory.
7pm: FROWNLAND and EVERYTHING WILL BE OK (at Alamo Ritz)

Listen Up!

Don't say we didn't warn you.
DVD coming January 08.

AVB EXTRAVAGANZA #1 !!

VIDEO FROM THE FIRST EVER AUSTIN VIDEO BEE EXTRAVAGANZA FUNDRAISER!

Take a look, see what we're up to (it's not just foursquare, lemme tell you)!!

More Todd Haynes

Rell's post got me all excited about Todd Haynes all over again, and I wanted to post this clip from my favorite Haynes movie, "Safe". For anyone who hasn't seen it, "Safe" is about Los Angeleno(?) Carol White, played by Julianne Moore. A meek homemaker mom, Carol seems to float disconnected through life, until the onset of an environmental illness forces her to reconsider her everything.

I Love You Todd Haynes

In anticipation of the new Todd Haynes movie, I recently re-watched "Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story". The first time I watched this I cried. For some reason I could only find the first part of this online. Cry with me friends.

IN LIKE 40 MINUTES

Mirror, Mirror: Self-Invention in a Televisual World

2pm, TODAY, ACES Building on UT Campus

Join Curator Annette Carlozzi as she discusses the exhibition Mike's World with David Joselit, professor of art history at Yale University, and Maud Lavin, Chair, Visual and Critical Studies, and Professor, Visual and Critical Studies and Art History, Theory and Criticism, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Topics will include reality TV, Internet chatrooms, midlife transitions, and other aspects of the American social landscape. Audience input is encouraged.

Peggy Ahwesh and Bobby Abate's CERTAIN WOMEN

Punk renegade filmmakers Peggy Ahwesh and Bobby Abate joined forces to adapt Erskine Caldwell's 1957 forgotten pulp fiction baddie Certain Women - A story of four young women stuck in a working class go-nowhere town fueled by wicked ignorance, shameful secrets, nasty rumors.

A dirty little home movie peek-a-boo mystery.

Episode 1: Murder!
Young Clementine is awakened in the middle of the night by a gunshot and her life is forever changed.


Episode 2: Rejected!
Former tomboy Louellen is growing up and realizing that boys don't want to give her a date.


Episode 3: Abusive Nasty Papa!
Daydreamer Hilda is confronted by her abusive father to find a job, no matter what the cost.


Episode 4: Mommy is dead!
Nannette, who grew up in extreme poverty with her mother, is forced to live on her own.


Episode 5: Miss Bessie's Whore House!
Clementine finds herself working in the local whore house run by sadistic Miss Bessie. Meanwhile the other 3 women try to figure out what to do next.


On CERTAIN WOMEN.
On Peggy Awhesh.
On Bobby Abate.
(each word a different link)

30 G

Tomorrow they will announce the winner of the Texas Prize.