Oliver Stone, never one to shy away from controversy, has recently taken on a project that might be sensitive to many yet will peak the interest of the curious. W. is his recent biopic based on our current head of state, President George W. Bush. A darkly humorous character study of W and the factors that participated, for better or for worse, in his inauguration as the leader of the free world. Josh Brolin stars as George W. Bush in this Oliver Stone film that traces the his rise to power from an over-privileged alcoholic to a born-again Christian whose firm believes in religious destiny helped move him to the top ranks of political power. →

ASSUME VIVID ASTRO FOCUS: asymmetrical voluminous ass fuckers, 2007
Peres Projects - Berlin
Event: 8/02/08
***
Originally screened during PS1 project Concrete Waves at Art Basel Miami Beach, this video is a collection of home made videos found on youtube of people dancing. Some dance alone in their rooms, other in competitions or clubs. Vogue, tektonic, jump, booty, krumping, popping and locking. The video will be mixed with Quartzo Power (2008), by Assume Vivid Astro Focus collaborators Rodrigo Garcia Dutra and Kleber Matheus. →

Vision Version
The Silent Movie Theatre - Los Angeles
Event: 8/5/08
***
Vision Version is a new film project from the far-out minds at dublab.com. They’re focused on sharing elevated music moments through motion picture magic. Dublab’s collective of wide-eyed directors are filming a ton of amazing and talented artists performing live in exciting locations around Los Angeles. Come and experience this cinematic treat! →

My Celluloid Fix: Overlord
Britain’s Imperial War Museum
(1975)
***
Overlord is one of my favorite films in the genre of wartime cinema–a brooding meditation on the destructive forces behind war. It is directed by Stuart Cooper, who initially intended on directing a documentary that would commemorate the soldiers who fought in the historic D-day battle. But when he rifled through the amazing footage of British soldiers training and the startling barrage from fighter planes, he felt compelled to tell his own fictional story, a third of which was made of actual archival material. →

This critically acclaimed short, The Box Man , was completed by Nirvan Mullick in 2002 and had garnered several awards and honors. The story is based off the novel (of the same name) penned by the master of Japanese modern literature, Kobo Abe, whose dark existential world and absurdist humor about urban living makes him a cut above the rest. Utilizing stop-n-go animation, Mullick fashioned veiled characters against a dark urban backdrop cloaked in shadows. He combines these elements with the perfect blend of suspense and finishes the film with an eerie, neo-noir twist. Enjoy! →

Malcolm Sutherland an animator hailing from Montreal, Canada, possesses the uncanny gift to illustrate people in their natural state and the way they interact with their environment. In The Tourists , Sutherland’s humorous nuances display a variety of tendencies that characterize the “typical tourists.” People are milling about on the sandy beach, their tender skins sizzling under the blazing sun; while others are disoriented and oftentimes oblivious to their carelessness. →

Calling all friends of the arts,

The Collaboration Foundation (a non-profit organization) is one of the finalist for a $10,000 online grant from Ideablob. They now need 1,000 friends to vote online this week in order to win the much needed start-up funds. Can you take 30 seconds to help?

Please vote here:
http://ideablob.com/ideas/1247-The-Collaboration-Foundation-C →

Terence KOH: 4′26″
Peres Projects - Berlin
Event: 7/26/08 
***
4′26″ is a music video of sorts. A lone naked figure, wearing high black patent leather boots and long black hair thrashes his body about, enticing the viewer but never fully committing to what it he is offering… →

My man Danny Lee (Calico Arts) has been working on this comedy show - The Clinic. As they put it, “THE OFFICE meets WEEDS in a brand new mocku-comedy series about your local marijuana clinic.”

Pretty intelligent dialogue and I see some familiar faces. Enjoy!