Susanna's Sketchbook

March 20, 2010: Jane Campion's Bright Star and Film Scrapbook

A thing of beauty is a joy forever: its loveliness increases; it will never pass into nothingness.

John Keats

I saw a movie recently that was filmed so beautifully my heart skipped. The film is Bright Star by Jane Campion.

Many vignettes had me yearning to take my camera outside and photograph, photograph, photograph anything and everything in the hopes that I could capture as beautiful a scene as what Jane Campion created and captured in Bright Star.  A panoramic view of the drying lines of Hampstead Village, London (circa 1818), looked like an old English painting. The scene of sisters Fanny and Toots Brawne in a bedroom with flittering butterflies took my breath away.

I looked up the official website for the movie, to see if there were any download-able images I could print and tack up in my art room. There are several. There is also a very cool link to Jane Campion's scrapbook "where various stuff from and about the process of making Bright Star [has] been collected."  It's a treat to learn how someone else creates and included in the scrapbook is a section titled "Notes to the Apprentice (film director)".  I won't give away any of Jane Campion's notes here as I think her online scrapbook is worth a visit. If you are looking to be visually-inspired, watch the movie!

March 8, 2010: And the Academy Award goes to...what was that film again?

This past Sunday, I sashayed down the red carpet to watch the Academy Awards with my good friend, Moe, and her husband in the home of their friends, Rose and Joe. When we entered the front door, we were immediately blinded by Joe the Paparazzo.

Roxanne, the resident celebripup, was in top form and was more than happy to show off her glamorous ensemble and provide us with a drop dead re-enactment from her most recent play, Bang!

We cast our votes on who would win the Oscars. Admittedly, I hadn't done my pre-Oscar homework and hadn't watched over half the nominated films so it came down to who in my rather jaded opinion, the Academy would vote for and who I thought deserved to win - even though I hadn't actually seen the films. When it came to Best Documentary or Best Foreign Film, I cast my vote for the coolest sounding titles like Miracle Fish.

 

Eventually, like any nominated actress patiently waiting for her category while absentmindedly sipping from her always half-full wine glass, I needed to use the loo. I quickly discovered that our party hosts had thought of everything that night. Come to think of it, I don't recall anyone holding a glass of wine during the awards ceremony...poor Hollywood celebs.

 

If there was an Academy Award for best Oscar Party Dinner Setting, Rose and Joe would have certainly been nominated. Each guest's had a place card that incorporated his or her name with an actress or film; for example, mine read Oh, Susanna! after the 1936 film. There were B-movie postcards scattered around the table. My favourite was The Mole People because if you cover the "l" with a finger, it reads The Moe People.

I am so glad that I wasn't wearing a tight designer corset like the real Oscar starlettes that night because there was no way I was going to miss out on Rose's scrumptious dinner. Do you see the Action! card, the film real, the Coppola wine? Again, it's the attention to details that gets my vote. Hell, just give me a plate of really good plate of food and I'm won over.

We watched most of the Academy Awards. It was understated this year, wasn't it? I thought most of the guests looked like they were bored out of their perfectly-styled heads. I was rooting for Gabourey Sidibe to win Best Actress because she would have livened up the entire awards ceremony receiving the award (of course, I hear she gave an amazing performance in Precious...which I still need to watch). I was glad that Sandra Bullock won, though, because we're fans of her movies in this household and doesn't she seem like the most likable person in Hollywood? I thought her acceptance speech was great and the way Jesse James looked at her...awww. Which reminds me, is The Blind Side out on Netflix yet?

January 9, 2010: Quiet days, Amelia

Hello. How are you? And what have you been up to this early January weekend? I'm enjoying the quiet of this post holiday month, taking pleasure in the little things at home: waking up next to J and our orange furball, opening the blinds and letting the sunlight pour into the room, the scent of coffee grounds as they are measured into the french press in the kitchen.

I've been downloading new songs onto my zune - Imogen Heap, Sigur Ros, songs from the HBO series True Blood. Songs to create to in my little artroom. Lady Gaga and Rihanna to get me moving at the gym. I came across this gorgeous dance film on youtube today (via www.alittlehamster.com). The dancers are from the Canadian dance troupe, La La La Human Steps. I'm in awe of the dancers physical prowess and precision. And the accompanying music has my heart on edge.