Film / Stop-Loss
by Rarely is a film politically poignant as well as wonderfully written, acted and shot. The second feature from director Kimberly Peirce of Boys Don’t Cry was inspired by her brother, who joined the army, and was only possible after months of meticulous research. It is the story of stop-loss victims — soldiers who are forced back for subsequent tours of Iraq by questionable government legislation. The glory and reality of war are brought home by a frenetic and violent opening followed by a hometown parade. The soldiers then struggle to integrate back into their old lives and Brandon King, played by Ryan Phillippe, travels across America avoiding authorities and trying to find a way to evade returning to Iraq. He makes several stops including a visit to a soldier from his unit who was blinded and severely maimed by an explosion. When this soldier describes himself as ‘lucky’, his upbeat demeanour creates one of the most emotionally affecting scenes in memory.
Tagged: war movies
Also by XAVIER TOBY
Back at a time when the Australian film industry rivalled Iceland’s for inactivity, the first Australian films to hit American and British drive-ins featured some weird plots indeed. Split into three parts, covering sex, slasher and smash and crash, Not Quite Hollywood focuses on Australian exploitation films. It is argued that without these films, Australia might not have a film industry at all. Read more
This American film was chosen to launch the Australian-wide Human Rights Film Festival. Through the use of archive footage and animation, it tells the story of protests in Chicago against additional troop deployment and the introduction of a national draft, and is a rare mix of being both historically significant and extremely entertaining. The action shifts between the protests and a subsequent court case, both being painstakingly mixed into a riveting and coherent story. There is no footage of the court case though, only court records, so the courtroom and participants have been animated. The medium is able to show viewpoints and quirks that would’ve been otherwise impossible and the result is an innovative, humorous and affecting way to present historical facts. The Human Rights Festival is happening in Melbourne until November 30, Perth from November 29-30, Sydney from December 4-7 and Brisbane from March 6-7.
People who talk in cinemas should be shot. Anyone who answers, messages or even checks a mobile phone while in a cinema deserves to suffer a similar fate. That’s the problem with going to see a film that appeals to the lowest common denominator. You have to sit in a cinema with them. Luckily there were that many explosions, killings, fast cars, hot girls and clever quips, that even those that tried to distract everyone else eventually had to give up. I spend a lot of my time watching intellectual, intelligent films that push boundaries and I find them both rewarding and enjoyable. Sometimes, though, it is extremely cathartic and refreshing though to just watch shit explode. So many films attempt to do this but often fail. Death Race even contains enough twists and script complexity, that it’s actually exciting throughout. If you expect nothing but entertainment, this film will leave you extremely satisfied.
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Chicago artist Damara Kaminecki (aka Damarak the Destroyer) creates the some seriously bad-ass woodcuts. With a darkly gothic, antique aesthetic, and subject matter tending towards ye old curiosity shop, Kaminecki has a body of work which truly stands out. Read more
Falling in between Enya, Bright Eyes, and Air, The Republic Tigers have been tagged ‘indie rock meets new age fog’. If that’s all too wishy-washy for you, then check out their new album Keep Color and watch the video to the album opener, Buildings and Mountains.
Listen to The Republic Tigers track, Golden Sand
We checked in recently with one of our favorite illustrators — and Lost At E Minor contributor — Yuko Shimizu: — How’s 2008 started for you? ‘I was just in the French Riviera with eighteen other illustrators and designers. It was our annual New Year’s retreat. People from all over Europe and North America meet up and spend a week together, exchange information, go see things together, or just have fun. It was fantastic, although we didn’t have the best weather’. Read more
Producing only 100 limited edition pieces of each style, Melbourne’s Who Am Eye are a burgeoning cult label. Read more
I almost had a heart attack the first time I entered Published Art. And I’m not even an architecture and design nut. This place is the shiz. As the name of the store suggests, Published Art is art published in book form. Their spectacular array of art, design and architecture books will bring a tear to the eye of any admirer of beauty. For Published Art, less is more. They make sure that they only keep the latest titles in stock so that every single one of their gorgeous hardcover books can be viewed from any part of the store. Read more
How many times can we play the same song in different settings? Hmmm, I don’t know. But it is a hell of a song, from a hell of a band, as that uniquely English oddity, Jules Holland would no doubt concur.
DJ Spooky — That Subliminal Kid — is just about the deepest crate digger around, trawling the barrels of long-lost record stores for choice vinyl to spin in his wickedly dubby sets. He gave us the inside word last week on his eight favourite songs right now via our sister website, My Secret Playlist. This is what he had to say about Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry’s Panic in Babylon: ‘If there’s anything that the twenty-first century has told us, it’s that dub is the real original hip-hop. Lee Scratch even had to make it clear in 1965 by adding “Scratch” to his middle name. Take that, Grandmaster Flash!’ Read the rest of DJ Spooky’s Secret Playlist.
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Lightspeed Champion performs The Kids unhinged
We met Lightspeed Champion (Londoner and former Test Icicles member Dev Hynes) backstage at Oxford Arts Factory at precisely 4.15pm. Read more
I like Roots Manuva because he tells stories. I know that sounds simplistic, but honestly, have you noticed how rappers, certainly American rappers, have stopped narrating their lives and are purely focused on how great they are? I know, I know, hip-hop is all about word play, slang, and blah blah blah. Read more
National Geographic Best Wild Animal Photos of 2008
National Geographic just announced the Best Wild Animal Photos of 2008. They’re all stunning, but I’m particularly fond of the one of a frog refusing to become lunch for a snake. It looks like they’re eating each other. My number two is the black-crested macaque hanging out on a beach. Read more
Adult Hotel opens in Nanning, China
State-controlled news outlet Xinhua reports that a new ‘adult hotel‘ is opening in Nanning, the capital of Guangxi Province in southern China. Apparently state censors think homosexuals and tattoo parlors sully their nation’s image, but not establishments aimed at facilitating heterosexual unions. The owner is apparently worried his business will be perceived as a brothel. Hmmm. In any case, the photos of a staff member demonstrating the, uh, equipment is caption-worthy for sure.
Freelance designer Alex Trochut uses typography, illustration and a solid idea to create works that communicate to each brief. He states that he doesn’t want to choose a particular style but instead enjoys ‘expressing himself and communicating though the needs of every project’. And his formula has worked: his clients include The Guardian G2, Nike Football, and my pencil-case favourite, Faber and Faber.
We have a stack of CDs and DVDs to give away to a lucky new subscriber who signs up to receive our free weekly email publication between now and New Year’s Day. There’s 50 new CDs in the pile, along with a handful of DVDs. So sign up now and leave a message here telling us what album you hope will be in the pile!
This Powder Necklace features a pearlized Turbo Cinereus shell with tiny holes drilled into the bottom, filled with a sparkling silver-colored powder that when gently tapped, sprinkles a light dusting on the wearer’s chest. Designed by Stephanie Simek. Read more
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Laverne said | 12 September, 2008
Look forward to seeing that.