ARTHOUSE FILM NEWS - Cosmic Disco Detective Rene at Facets, Chicago 11/29/23

KJ is showing some interesting movies at the National Museum of Women in the Arts . I missed Sugar Cane Alley yesterday, but I plan on checking out some NMWA movies in the future. I interviewed KJ for Indie Film Blogger Road Trip doc earlier this week. Go here for more info. on NMWA film events. Here's KJ's blog about food, film, & everything else. KJ is one of the 3 DC area people interviewed for the doc ; other two being Erica Ginsberg from Docs In Progress & myself (we also have Armando Valle from Towson, MD, but that's Baltimore area). Photos of the other bloggers recently interviewed for the doc coming soon. - Sujewa

At Cinema Echo Chamber . - Sujewa

... be back in a couple of weeks. - Sujewa

Pretty impressive, check out the Hacker Ethic page at IndieGoGo . And of course you can join, & give some money, become a part of the doc project. - Sujewa

Check it out. - Sujewa

In a conversation I was having with someone yesterday, they said that I am the only person that they know who does not like The Dark Knight. I thought about that later, and, I think one of the main reasons for me not liking the movie is that TDK has taken an old symbol for justice and muddled it up, bled all the useful vitality out of it - thus I no longer respond positively to the symbol. Batman, in TDK, is no longer someone to admire for his service to society, but rather a vigilante to keep an eye on/check/stop because he tortures suspects, uses illegal/total wiretapping, and is used as a tool for rendition/kidnapping by the police. More on the destruction of a once positive symbol by another person who does not dig TDK; David Cox at the Guardian : "All of which would doubtless be explained away easily enough by the scholars of Bat-philosophy. The ambiguity of it all is the point, see. We live in times when the distinction between good and evil has evaporated. That's why

Brian " The Film Panel Notetaker " Geldin is producing a new documentary called Hacker Ethic. Check out his letter about the flick & IndieGoGo below: "Hello, hope you're all having a fantastic summer! I wanted to let you know about "Hacker Ethic," AMPeter's feature documentary currently in production that explores the politics and culture of the latest generation of hackers. Fundraising for the film is now officially open on this really cool online social marketplace known as IndieGoGo.com, whose innovative mantra is Do It With Others (DIWO). (FYI, AMPeters is a contributing notetaker here at The Film Panel Notetaker, and I am one of the producers for "Hacker Ethic.") Help us reach our goal of raising $2,500 on IndieGoGo in our first round of fundraising. Funds will go toward camera, lighting & sound equipment rental. As of today (July 29), we have 45 days to reach our goal, and we can only do it with your help. There are several leve

Yes, I know, the reference to the Nazi's gets old after a while, but, we still use it because it clearly conveys the idea; these people are not good guys. Yes, cops have a tough job (don't sign up if you can't handle it), but what's worse than being abused by people that you (or others like you) pay to protect you? Nothing. Check out two videos of NYC's "finest" in horrible action at The Obenson Report . And yes, I know there are a lot of good cops (thanks & good job to you guys & ladies), but that does not excuse out of control cops like the ones shown in the videos. Those dudes in the video should be fired, and prosecuted for assault. Check out the videos at The Obenson Report . Police brutality should not be tolerated AT ALL, 'cause if you do, the next step is having to live in a police state - where the police rule society through illegal violence; not a pretty picture/situation to live in. - Sujewa

Pictured above: Scenes from M. David Lee III's new movie Slow Down...You're Dating Too Fast! And seeing David's photo of me at his blog reminds me that I badly need a shave; looking like a mountain man in that photo :) Slow Down...You're Dating Too Fast! is David's new movie, now available on DVD. Here's the intro to the story: "Life is too fast… work too stressful… and sex, well let’s just say it’s not all fairly tales and flowers. So how does a busy person, in the hustle and bustle of the world today find time to have a “meaningful" relationship? Like everything else in life, you just have to speed up the process!See what happens when five, relatively well adjusted adults try to find love in the 21st Century?" More here . Check out David's site here , he's made 4 features so far, all low budget, real indie efforts. One inspired by the Dogme95 filmmaking approach . More on David's movies in the near future. We are planning a screen

Upcoming film screenings at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in DC, also a workshop organized by NMWA: "Wednesday, July 30 at 7pm Sisters in Cinema: Euzhan Palcy’s Sugar Cane Alley Euzhan Palcy was the first Black woman to direct a feature film in Hollywood, A Dry White Season in 1989. SUGAR CANE ALLEY (Rue cases nègres, 1983, 35mm, 103 min., French with English subtitles) is Palcy’s first feature. This compelling story follows an orphaned boy and his grandmother as they struggle to escape from the shantytowns surrounding a sugar plantation in Martinique. ASL interpretation will be provided for the discussion. Members, Seniors, Students: $4, General $5. * Wednesday, August 6 at 6:30pm Wednesday, August 20 at 1pm Thursday, August 28 at noon MR DIAL HAS SOMETHING TO SAY MR DIAL HAS SOMETHING TO SAY (Celia Carey, 2007, 57 min.) is a fascinating and expertly crafted documentary that explores the topic of racism and classism in the elite world of the American visual arts, focu

Atlanta Film Festival's Charles Judson takes a look at AFI's Top 100 films list (the top 20 of the 100) for female directors, producers, writers. From the post: "So I read the Hollywood to Women: Drop Dead post over on Indiewire. In it, it links to the recent studies about the low number of women behind the camera, on the screen and reviewing/critiquing films. It got me to thinking. We've got a 100 years of film behind us, what has AFI chosen as the 20 best American films as of 2007. Surely, there's got to be some strong feminine energy--can you tell I used to write poetry--on that list. Here's just some cursory observations:" Read them at ATL 365 blog . - Sujewa

At the moment I have about 13 hours of interview footage, featuring 12 bloggers, which is everything I need to start editing the feature length - 90 min. - doc . In August I'll go back and finish an unfinished interview, and perhaps a couple of new interviews (mostly ones I could not get in July due to scheduling conflicts), and I will have to film a few segments where I am addressing the camera; intro, transitional, and outro segments, plus narraration, and then add music. But the footage featuring the 12 bloggers ( KJ Mohr , self , Brian Geldin , Tambay Obenson , Gabe Wardell , Paula Martinez , Chuck Tryon , Erica Ginsberg , Noralil Ryan Fores , Armando Valle , Brandon Harris , Melissa Silverstein ) will allow me to start creating the final shape of the film over the next couple of weeks. I expect to have Indie Film Blogger Road Trip completed by the end of August. - Sujewa

GreenCine interviews David Redmon about his doc Mardi Gras: Made in China . I have not seen the doc, and I don't really see anything wrong with people volunteerly exchanging beads for nudity at party/carnival/festival type events (i mean, it that's what you really want to do), and I don't see how that activity in America is responsible for working conditions of some Chinese (working conditions are the responsibility of the employers, not the eventual customers of a product). So, after I see the doc, and whenever I run into David on the web or in real life, I am sure we'll have a lot to talk about :) More about the doc at GreenCine Daily . - Sujewa

Check out the free SnagFilms selection of the day. First, about the movie, from SangFilms site: "Filmed when the author was 81, HENRY MILLER ASLEEP AND AWAKE is a voyage of ideas about life, writing, sex, spirituality, nightmares, and New York that captures the warmth, vigor and high animal spirits of a singular American artist. The man is Henry Miller and the room is his bathroom. It’s a miraculous shrine covered with photos and drawings collected by the author over the course of his long and fruitful life. Graciously, in his raspy, sonorous voice, he points out the highlights of his improvised gallery, speaking of philosophers, writers, painters,mad kings, women, and friends." And now, the movie: - Sujewa

According to KJ Mohr, Film & Media Arts Programmer at the museum, the National Museum of Women in the Arts in DC is the only museum of its kind in THE WORLD. Which, when you think about it, is kind of bizarre; the world is a huge place; with billions of people and hundreds of countries - and there's only 1 museum ON THIS WHOLE PLANET dedicated to art by women??? Well, on the bright side, I guess it's a start. I visited the museum today to interview KJ for Indie Film Blogger Road Trip doc. Did a part of the interview, ran out of time, will be going back to interview KJ in August. Go here for more info. on the National Museum of Women in the Arts . - Sujewa