Installment Number Thirty Seven (from an unusual source)...

“Of all that is written, I love only what a person hath written with his blood. Write with blood, and thou wilt find that blood is spirit.”
Friedrich Nietzsche

Beautiful

Shows an awareness too of Eisentine's theory of relational editing too. Just for the record.

Crazy Love

Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jeff Bridges, Colin Farrell and Robert Duvall all in the same movie? Oh my goodness; that'd better be one great movie.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1263670/

And T Bone Burnett's doing the music.

Oh, and the movie's called "Crazy Heart" not "Crazy Love." My bad.

Five Favorite Albums of 2009

1. Written in Chalk, Buddy and Julie Miller (and friends)
2. It's All Crazy, It's All False, It's All a Dream, It's Alright, mewithoutyou
3. Elephants, Aaron Strumpel
4. The Hazards of Love, The Demberists
5. No Line on the Horizon, U2

Albums I still need to hear or give a better listen to:

Together Through Life, Bob Dylan

Blood from Stars, Joe Henry

... many more

Installment Number Thirty Six...

"Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, "Do it again"; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, "Do it again" to the sun; and every evening, "Do it again" to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we."
— G.K. Chesterton

Installment Number Thirty Five...

"Listen to your life. See it for the fathomless mystery it is. In the boredom and pain of it, no less than in the excitement and gladness: touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it, because in the last analysis all moments are key moments, and life itself is grace."
— Frederick Buechner

For my experimental video production class:

Picasso had his "blue" stage...

When people look back at the stage of filmmaking I'm in right now, they'll have a name for it. I'm not sure what the name will be, but it'll be something close to "the bizarrely-weird stage: The stage where Andrew Price just went completely nuts and made the strangest films he's ever made." Seriously folks. I'll link to them soon on YouTube, but over the past couple of months or so I've made my strangest films ever. Everything I touch these days seems turns to weirdness.

I'm going to blame two factors here: my experimental video production class and high school boys. The first has got me in an almost 'throwing all rules out' mode and the second is actual, real reason that two of my more recent projects are weird. I don't think of ideas by myself like Darth Vader in a grudge-settling dance off with a terrorist. I do like bringing them to life, though.

What Else Me But You? (A Look At mewithoutYou's "A Stick, a Carrot and a String."

The Tooth&Nail band mewithoutYou released an album this summer called... well, let's nevermind the name of the album; it's really long and somewhat pretentious, and really want you to focus on this one song in particular right now. The song is "A Stick, a Carrot and a String." And it's been such an encouragement to me this summer. I think it is one of the best worship songs of the year.

It starts out as a Christmas song. At first, I thought the whole song was a Christmas song, and I got really excited because I like odd Christmas songs (to find out how I feel about traditional Christmas songs [or at least, radio's approach to the traditional Christmas song], click here).

The song is however not merely a Christmas song, and I'm fine with that. The song's territory is one I don't hear explored that often (in song, anyway), and I'm very happy to have my expectations dashed.

But before I get too far ahead of myself, the first part of the song:

the horse's hay beneath his head

our Lord was born to a manger bed

that all whose wells run dry

could drink of his supply

We're in the first stanza, and we're already dipping into the Gospel a little bit. Sweet.

Then we get into "The Friendly Beasts" territory:

to keep him warm, the sheep drew near

so grateful for His coming here

come with news of grace

come to take my place

the donkey whispered in his ear

"child, in 30-some-odd years

you'll ride someone who looks like me

untriumphantly"

I like what the sheep say here. If I were a sheep, I'd be excited about Christ coming too.

Also note the donkey introducing the concept of the upside down kingdom (makes me think of G. K. Chesterton). This theme is important to Aaron Weiss and central to the song.

Let's keep listening:

the cardinals warbled a joyful song
he'll make right what man made wrong
bringing low the hills
that the valleys might be filled

then "child", asked the birds
"well, aren't they lovely words we sing?"
the tiny baby layed there
without saying anything

Okay. So far we've heard from all the 'normal' (um, except cardinals) or accepted manger scene animals (for the record, I can see cardinals working their way into a manger scene).

And now at the margins:

at a distance stood a mangy goat
with the crooked teeth and a matted coat
weary eyes and worn
chipped and twisted horns

thinking "maybe I'll make friends someday
with the cows and the hens in the rambouillet
but for now, I'll keep away
I've got nothing smart to say"

I identify most with the goat, by the way.

Now the song shifts, it dips into the weird, parable/fable feel of the album overall. It serves as a response to the goat's hesitation

there's a sign on the barn
in the cabbage town
"when the rain picks up
and the sun goes down
sinners, come inside
with no money, come and buy

no clever talk, nor a gift to bring
requires our lowly, lovely king
come now empty handed, you don't need anything"

and the night was cool
and clear as glass
with the sneaking snake in the garden grass
deep cried out to deep
the disciples fast asleep

and the snake perked up
when he heard You ask
"if you're willing that
this cup might pass
we could find our way back home
maybe start a family all our own"

"but does not the Father guide the Son?
not my will, but yours be done.
what else here to do?
what else me, but You?"

and the snake who'd held the world
a stick, a carrot and a string
was crushed beneath the foot
of your not wanting anything

Hokey Fritz! (This news means nothing to anyone who is not me.)

Bradley Whitford will again be delivering great dialog!

So I'm watching West Wing with my sister. And we're crazy about it. The writing, the cast, the feeling smart; the whole bit.

So then I'm thinking: What are these great actors doing now? (Except that I know what Allison Janney's been up to! She's Juno's stepmom! She was the voice of Peach in Finding Nemo! She's been doing other stuff too!)

So I start entering names into IMDb. And I find out (among other things — like that

John Spencer hasn't done a lick of screen acting since West Wing ended.) that Josh (Bradley Whitford) is going to be in a creepy-sounding movie directed by the guy who wrote Cloverfield. (The movie has "cabin" and "woods" in the title, so you know it's either going to be a feel-good prequel to the Bucket List, or a horror movie.)

And I think: "I hope this turns out not to be the worst movie ever made." Because, as I say, I like Josh. I am loyal to Josh. And I hope that he marries Donna. (If he does, don't tell me, because I'm only at the beginning of season four.)

Well, fast forward about a month, and I'm poking around on the internet, trying to see if I'm still going to be able to watch Dollhouse in a few months, and I see that Joss Whedon (who is of too much significance to me to sum up in a parenthetical statement) chatting up some movie with "Cabin" in the title.

And I think: Bradley Whitford/Cloverfield guy movie. And angels start singing.

A few clicks away confirms that "The Joss" as we (me and the fun people in my head) call him, is indeed involved in the project. He wrote it. He's not directing it, but he wrote it.

Before I enthuse any further, I should let you know that I may well not end up ever seeing this movie. It's a scary movie; it's a horror film, and I don't do scary. Bleh. I don't like it.

Sooo....

This is just me being happy for two people I admire, who's names would sound the same if your mouth was full of toothpaste.

Okay, a few more geeky details, rated in order of goodness:

Good:

Chris Hemsworth (the new captain Kirk) is in the movie. Curiously he plays a fellow named "Curt."

Better:

Anna Hutchison, also known as "Yellow Cheetah Ranger" from "Power Rangers: Jungle Fury" is going to be in the movie.*
Best:

Topher is in the movie. Fran Kranz. I know Fran sounds like a girl name; that's all I can think about right now too. Except for the fact I love him in Dollhouse and will be very excited any time I get to see his work in the future.

==
*I'm listing this because I need a third fact. Oh wait, never mind: Another Dollhouse vet is in the film:
Amy Acker, aka, Dr. Saunders, aka -------. Yay! She's great too!

Séraphine of Senlis

I saw Seraphine a few months back with my cousin. I was dazzled by the work of the artist in the film and made note to try to find some of her work online. But I negleted to at the time.

But reading this review by Jeffery Overstreet reminded me of my search.

So here are some of the painting of Seraphine of Senlis. Enjoy.

And if you get a chance, go ahead and see the movie.

I watched this last night in class...

I think my kids are going to watch it:


Richter's goal was to create images that were abstracted enough ("pure") to where they could be understood universally. He wanted to create visual music.

What do you think? Does he succeed?

Here's another film by a filmmaker with similar goals:

By the way, best to watch both with the sound off. These were not meant to be watched with music, they were meant to be music.

Very intriguing trailer for Clooney's next movie.

What's odd is that this was billed as a comedy. The trailer's quite dramatic.

She Forgot Purple

Good thoughts on rhyming in poetry.


(From someone who clearly loves words.)


Hightlights?

Rhyme is at the wheel. No, rhyme is the engine.

There are no tired rhymes. There are no forbidden rhymes. Rhymes are not predictable unless lines are. Death and breath, womb and tomb, love and of, moon, June, spoon, all still have great poems ahead of them.

Rhyme is an irrational, sensual link between two words. It is chemical. It is alchemical.

And one particularly mindblowing sentence:

Rhyme frees the poet from what he wants to say. 

Life Tree

David Mamet:

"All drama is about lies. When the lie is exposed, the play is over."

Gross

My friend Stan found this recently.

This makes me mad in forty different directions.

Pixar's Status Update on Facebook:

A few weeks ago, John Lasseter hinted at Pixar’s first female lead. Well it’s official—he just announced that Pixar’s 2011 release, The Bear and the Bow, will feature the aspiring archer, Merida! Voice work will even include Reese Witherspoon, Billy Connolly, and Emma Thompson. Does anyone have a time machine so we can fast forward 2 years?

I challenge you not to get excited about reading Donald Miller's new book after reading this paragraph:

The subtitle, "what I learned while editing my life" really is exactly what happened. And, man, does he fly. A listless, writerly, ironic, Portland-based, post-evangelical thinker, becomes more intentional, more earnest, more active, more radical, more really real. It is an amazing transformation, actually. Graceful? Well, it isn't without stumbles and set-backs, but I think it is graceful. Yes, this is a graceful book. It is about making a movie about your life, and what that might make you think and do. That is, he wants his real life to be as interesting and noble as the one in the movie they are making. Is that a crazy-good idea for a book, or what? Sederis or Palahniuk didn't think of that, did they?

From here: http://www.heartsandmindsbooks.com/booknotes/new_donald_miller_a_million_mi/

Chasing Whale Pictures

So, I have this new website.

Well, it's not really new: I started it up a couple of months ago but only just now have gotten around putting anything up or playing with the look much.

Unfortunately, unless I were to go Weebly Pro, I can't get* ride of the domain name, and the options for the template are limited.

But, I'm doing the best with what I've got, and would appreciate it if you'd hop on over there and take a look. There are two videos up right now, and I'll be changing things as I get, what was the concept again? oh yeah, "time."

Anyway, in the meanwhile, please check it out.

http://chasingwhalepictures.weebly.com/

==

*I've been wanting to spell "get" with an "i" recently. Weird, right?

It is my goal to use this word at some point this week:

inhere (inheres!)

|inˈhi(ə)r|
verb [ intrans. ] ( inhere in/within) formal
exist essentially or permanently in : the potential for change that inheres within the adult education world.
Law (of rights, powers, etc.) be vested in a person or group or attached to the ownership of a property : the rights inhering in the property they owned.

ORIGIN mid 16th cent. (in the sense [stick, cling to] ): from Latin inhaerere ‘stick to.’

I just recently finished "Born Again," Frank Miller's 1986 Daredevil saga.

My thoughts? 1986 was a good year.

The Video that Hath Most Recently Consumed My Life

If you like it, favorite it! comment on it! watch it again!

Thanks for watching, friends.

Christmas

This is a good time to make a top ten favorite Christmas songs list, right?

My brother was just talking about the song "Here It Is" (from Over the Rhine's Snow Angels), and I was thinking about how it's probably on my list of top ten favorite Christmas songs.

And then I thought "Oh no! I don't have a top ten list of favorite Christmas songs!"

Thus, this blogpost.

Here we go:

"God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" (I don't know if I'll put artists with each of the songs, but T Bone Burnett does a great version of this song)

"Here It Is" Over the Rhine. Joyful. Sad. Exuberant. A celebration of the big, sad, messiness of life. And of the wonder we find.

"Star of Wonder" Sufjan Stevens. As near as I can tell, this is God talking to the star of Bethlehem. Good stuff.

"Sister Winter" Sufjan Stevens. I have to put this one here too. Probably one of the songs that is most personal to me.

"O Come, O Come Emmanuel." My favorite Christmas song. The name "Emmanuel" means a lot to me as one of the names of God.

"White Horse" Over the Rhine.

"A Stick, a Carrot, and a String" mewithoutYou. A good reminder of what Christ came here on Earth to do. It is not wholly a Christmas song, but it starts off with a nice "Friendly Beasts" kind of feel.

"Holy Emmanuel" Terry Scott Taylor

Fan

I found Pixar on Facebook!

So I get to see pictures like this:

Someone named Sam MacNiel keeps giving out my phone number to people in whatever state has the 404 area code.

A Hint at Pixar's Next Movie...

John Lasseter Q & A When will we see a female lead?
Uploaded by disneypixar. - More video blogs and vloggers.

Very Weird

Disney has purchased Marvel Comics.

Perfect Action Film

My brother showed me this.

So I guess it's not a cover name for the next Batman movie...

The teaser-trailer for Christopher Nolan's upcoming film, Inception:


It's interesting to me, he seems to be using (computer-driven) special effects to a level he never has before. Even The Dark Knight's special effects (explosions, etc.) were largely executed during production (as apposed to afterwards, on a computer).

I'm glad Nolan's making this before another Batman movie. I think this will help keep him out of a rut. Now that I think of it, I guess The Prestige was made between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight.

What are your thoughts? Are you looking forward to another film by the director of The Dark Knight? Which of Christopher Nolan's films do you hope this is most like?

Does it seem like Leonardo DiCaprio is showing up everywhere these days?

The moon looks a wisp tonight.

Sort

I think artifactual things are important to me.

In getting ready for my little brother's return from Indonesia (yay! he's back safe!), I've been sorting through things in my room, trying to see if there's anything I can throw away (we're talking paper, here, not like, huge chairs or something) to free up precious space (my brother and I share a 10x20[ish? I'm not good with numbers or estimations] room). I had the room to myself for the whole summer and quite sprawled over the whole thing. I barely had room for me at times (true story).

So anyway, now we have little Andrew sorting through things (by this I mean a stack of papers [and paper-like things] sitting at the foot of my bed), trying to see what I can throw away. And of course by "throw away" I mean "recycle."

The alternative to recycling the papers is either to a) Use them in a fantastically cool way somehow to decorate my room or b) keep them in the stack.

Most of the stuff I kept in the stack. I threw out a fair amount of papers and things (and found my Portland State University ID, woo hoo!), but for the most part it just didn't seem like the little guys's time had come. And when I did throw things away (talking recycling, here), I honestly felt like I was ending a life. Like I was saying to the thing, you're no good. I've looked you all over, and I find no potential in you.

I think I personify* things too easily. That is, I see them too easily as people. And, oh my goodness, I can't even begin to tell you what I see people as. If I see a card I got in the mail from my dentist reminding me about an upcoming checkup as a pretty close friend, imagine the weight I put on relationships around me.

No wonder I get tired.

So anyway, all this to say I hold artifactual things, the things around me, pretty high. I enjoy putting things up on my wall, and these things remind me of things. They might remind me of an event (the book pass, for example, I had to get for the copies of So Brave, Young and Handsome and Peace Like a River I was bringing into Powell's to get signed by Leif Enger) or they might just be there because they're aesthetic pleasing. Whatever they're there for, they're an expression of myself. As with the other aspects of my life, the movies I make, the conversations I have, the things I draw. Expressing myself, for better or for worse, is all I can do. It's all I can really hope to do through my life and my work and my interaction. Maybe there's more I could do, if I were a stronger, braver person. But, for now, this is all I really can do. God grant me the grace to do it well.

==

*this word is used incorrectly here.

Thoughts from the 12th inning...

Baseball is like life: long, boring stretches punctuated by moments of intense beauty.

Tarantino on "There Will Be Blood?"

Quentin Tarantino on his friend Paul Thomas Anderson's most recent film.



I've never thought of using "sweet" in relation to Quentin Tarantino, but I was touched by his closing statements on his relationship with Paul Thomas Anderson.

Rainbow

I enjoyed this post:

http://weloveyouso.com/2009/08/justin-waldrons-rainbow-parachute/

I'm grateful to Mr. Pat Hassel at Jim Bridger Elementary for allowing me to experience the blessing of the parachute. I count myself blessed.

The BQE

I have a feel *listening* to Sufjan Steven's new(ish) album won't be quite has weird as just reading the description, here.

Take a look at my friend Tim's photos.

They're great:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/timnewmanphotography/

Here's a new favorite of mine:

Dates

Today, if you're European, is 07-08-09!

Information I Can Not Share

"Cannot" and "can not" mean two different things.

"Cannot" means: not possible (or permitted, I guess).

"Can not" means: able to avoid it.

Roughly, of course. These definitions are off the top of my head, but I just wanted to share this. Thought it was worth noting.

If you're unfamiliar with the graphic novel, Watchmen...

... go ahead and skip this one.

Otherwise, please enjoy; I did.

This is awesome.

Obviously old news, but still really funny.

Tribute to the Color Green

Swirls

For a Week

“What a beautiful God, what a beautiful God, what a beautiful God there must be…”
—mewithoutYou

Dear Heavenly Father, friend,

Thank you for a week.

Thank you for a week for friends. For getting to live together and spend time with each other and of bearing one another’s burdens. Thank you for a week of dishes and breakfast and walks and dinner. Thank you for trees climbed, water played in and for the little frog by the lake.

Thank you for teaching. And for telling stories. Thank you for getting to look at little kid’s faces and watching the synapsis fire.

Thank you for companionship. A roomful of guys and of conversation. Thank you for the ceiling fan in that room. Thank you for the open window and that the weather was never too hot.

Thank you for the people. Thank you for the people who shared meals. Thank you for the conversations with them and for the day-after-dayness of their faithfulness. Thank you for the balloon on the floor.

Thank you God for the door at the corner of the gym and seeing the kids play there. Thank you for the kids in front of me, on the floor, listening. Thank you that it was part of my job to make silly voices for a week.

Thank you for the couches. For sitting around and reading. For sitting and writing, and watching. For sharing. Thank you for the music, the house full of music. Thank you for the nice neighbor to the left.

Thank you for that little dog. That little smelly dog and for getting to feed him.

Thank you for the stake. And the girls who gave. Our sisters, friends, princesses for the week. Thank you for the drive there and back. That we didn’t die and that we had good conversation. Thank you for getting to sing to Elijah through the radio.

Thank you, God for the rocks and for the throwing of them into the lake. Thank you for the clouds over the lake and the thunder and the lighting. Thank you for the friends hugging and getting so excited by the storm.

Thank you for tiredness and late-night talks. Thank you that we really talked.

Thank you for the floors and the odd brooms and getting to use the blocks for decoration. Thank you that I got to read the book.

Thank you for the bed, and blankets. And for Chris Johnson stealing them each night.

Thank you for community.

Thank you for food.

Thank you for eating over the river. And the odd fish. And the stories.

Dear Heavenly Father, you are the giver of all good gifts. These and a thousand more.

Friendship with seven beautiful people is too much goodness in this life, and it’s a good thing I’ll have new heart in heaven, because it couldn’t take the thousand there. And the eternity.

Thank you for a glimpse.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.

Awesome

http://twitter.com/Jeff_Overstreet/status/2636753136

Safe and sound in Baker City. Gearing up for Day Three.

Malick

I learned the other day that Terrence Malick finished the script for The New World in the late '70s, and it lay dormant till in was made into the 2005 feature film.

Isn't that weird? What other amazing scripts does Malick have just sitting around (just waiting for a few decades to pass)?

I'm cleaning out my inbox! I've knocked off about 500 emails this evening alone! Won't rest until the inbox is spic and span!

Wow...

Pixar grants dying girl's wish to see "UP."

Heavy stuff.

Proof Positive that the Real Genius's of Today...

... are working on YouTube:

Brilliant

2008, Best Book Cover Nominations (AIGA)

Take a look at these: 50 Books/50 Covers 2008 selections.

Today I was on dish duty after lunch. When I mopped, I used a mop that reminded me of those very, very thin spaghetti noodles.

Installment Number Thirty Four...

"What this means is that prayer can be learned only in the vocabulary and grammar of personal relationship: Father! Friend! It can never be a matter of getting the right words in the right order. It can never be a matter of good behavior or proper disposition or skillful manipulation. It can never be a matter of acquiring some information about God or getting in touch with myself. It is a relationship, exclusively and unendingly personal."
—Eugene Peterson, Tell It Slant

Have I shared this already? I think it's a wonderful quote and something that I wish I could really take to heart. Really get it my head (and heart) and learn, really learn.

But for now, I'm going to have to live with being reminded of it, and it is wonderful to be reminded of this unendingly personal God.

Beyond Awesome

This will make your day. Seriously. Just watch it.


This clip is referenced in "UP", by the way. In this clip:



I found all this out through this: Easter Eggs in Pixar’s Up

Yep. That's right.

Opus, on a recent moviegoing experience.

Old Friend Back

I'm excited because of this new piece of furniture in my room:


Apperently (I just found out this story today), my grandmother gave this glider to my mom when I was a baby because (and I like this part) I liked to rock.

Anyone reading this who knows me is probably not very surprised. Motion is very important to me and always has been. As I think about this chair, I wonder if this is a part of why the swings are my favorite part of the playground?

Anyway, it's nice to have an old friend back. And to sort of feel a sense of ownership (I didn't know this was actually mine [or, at least, more so than I thought] until today). Now, we'll see if I actually get to keep this in my room. For my room is not very large, and clutters up fast. I will at least enjoy it for today.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an old friend to get reacquainted with.

Faithfulness Continues (Sermon Video, May 31)

For Montavilla Baptist. Music by Joel Clarkson.

Great animation

Newest Sermon Video

Music by Joel Clarkson.

An appropriate news story for today (PIXAR MAINIA!)

Today Disney/Pixar's UP is released. About a year ago their last was released. Here's a story about it:

Hobbyists Rebuild Wall-E, One PVC Pipe at a Time

UPDATE:

Wow, these guys just don't let up; do they? Watch this and just see if it doesn't bring back the warm fuzzies:



PLUS!

Rotten Tomatoes reaches into the archives to put together a list of Pixar's films ranked according to the tomato meter. Amazing to me even how high the least-rated are.

Terminator was better than I thought it was going to be.

But it suffers from something a lot of (especially action) movies I've seen recently, in that it needs much, much more spice, subtext, humor.

Even Star Trek, which had tons more than this movie did, could've used an extra shot of it (the first scene for example and the climax).

If only you could combine the action of Terminator with the great humor of Star Trek, we'd have the perfect summer blockbuster. (Until then, I recommend we all re-watch Iron Man.)

List

I have seen exactly half of these films

How many have you seen? Are any of these on your favorites list?

I know, I know... I'm pathetic.. I just really like these!

Do you have any guesses what this is?

My brother Matthew is in Indonesia. This is footage of a cool jungle animal that was at a village celebration. I think the animal is really cool!

And see if you can stomach this video:


A drive down the street:

Criterion

Gorgeous.

These and other images can be found here. (Fake covers for Criterion or Criterion-quality films. Or films that will never be in the criterion collection.)

Some other interesting interpretations:






This movie deserves a more aesthetically pleasing cover. I like the idea, though.