Tiltshift Clementine

Bathtub IV from Keith Loutit on Vimeo.

Here's an awesome, inspirational music video for the track “Clementine” by Megan Washington done by Keith Loutit using the Tiltshift technique.

Film Review: As The Technics Spin

The art of hitting the turntables is the subject of the new documentary by producer DJ Rob Swift (of the X-Ecutioners, Ill Insanity, and Mike Patton’s Peeping Tom) and director Eljay Williams in the new film As The Technics Spin. The film looks at the history of the DJ and gives an insiders look into how turntablists put together their routines. The film cuts together great visual montages of DJ’s scratching and performing live with narrative elements featuring Swift discussing the giants of the turntable and how he works.

This documentary differs from some of the others out there because it is a bit more personal focusing mostly on Rob Swift and getting into the mechanics of how specific routines were put together from conception to performance. The film does make a good point in illustrating how turntablists can elevate themselves to the level of musicians and watching footage of Swift scratch onstage with Bob James and his band during the Tokyo Jazz Festival proved the point well. Rob speaks a great deal about his philosophy, development, and the mental preparation it takes to create the work and how he works as an artist. He also gives a glimpse of what it’s like preparing for a battle and how the creative process can be aided from setbacks.

The biggest downside of the film is in the editing as certain points tend to get a bit repetitive at times but the film does do a good job in showing the nuts and bolts of the tables and the work that gets put into them. Sometimes the behind the scenes lingo becomes Latin and the viewer can get a bit lost but if you are interested in the craft it’s valuable knowledge. One great feature is the extras included on the DVD, which show some highly polished performances for television along with some great-varied live material.

The film’s rough style fits the material well and it really gives an interesting look into how much work it takes to produce a great turntable routine. When Swift is in the zone in one of his routines it’s nice to have the insight of how it was put together and what led to each decision. The DJ is never short of passion for his art and in sharing some of his mindset, it gives the audience a very personal account of his work. The film is really perfect for fans of the DJ who want to know more about the process but Swift’s obsessive, unstoppable determination in elevating his craft is something any viewer can relate to.

This review was originally posted on Short & Sweet NYC

Film Review: Pride and Glory

If you know a bunch of guys who love smart movies but are not very smart themselves point them towards a copy of “Pride and Glory” starring Edward Norton (as Ray Tierney)and Colin Farrell (as Jimmy Eagan) because they’ll love it (and this goes double if they’re Irish). The film, written and directed by Long Island native Gavin O'Connor features a predictable story of good cop, bad cop on the rugged streets of New York and this time it’s all in the family with Jon Voight playing papa cop. The film is entertaining to watch but after foreseeing the plot in the first scene, dealing with some unrealistic plot elements (like having so many cops in the same family under the same command), and sitting through some awful acting (there is more to acting like a New York cop then shouting the F-bomb) the suspension of disbelief was lost.

The only real saving grace in the film is Edward Norton’s performance which makes the movie almost watchable. It’s really disappointing because the film has potential but falls short in so many ways and is actually frustrating to watch at times. The cast doesn’t help the situation much because Colin Farrell never really sells his character well and plays Colin Farrell imitating an Irish cop rather than a true character. There is also quite a bit of inconsistencies in the characters motivations and times when their actions seem totally unbelievable. As the dénouement the film totally lacks any real ending instead cutting the story short with a fade out into the sunset forcing the audience to surmise what may’ve happened at which point I just wanted the building they were in to explode to have a sense of closure.

In all, the movie is perfect for a long flight or to irritate relatives who you want to leave but not much else. One positive note is that there was some things one might learn from watching a film like this which is that filmmaking is harder than it looks and that if you’re in a room with a drug dealer and someone asks for a potato- run (because they use it as a cheap silencer). Pride and Glory is a perfect gift for your dumb uncle or a friend you might not think that much of intellectually but I’d rather have spent the 2 hours on line for a much better film.

This review was originally posted on Short & Sweet NYC

2009 Call for Entries for Strictly Students Film Festival

It's time for this year's Call for Entries for the 5th Anniversary Strictly Students Film Festival and the deadline for films is April 3 and it's free to enter so check out the website for more information: http://www.strictlystudentsfest.com/.

The Mentalists play Kids using their iPhones

Kevchino posted a crazy video of the Mentalists plaing the MGMT song "Kids" using apps on their iPhones and iPod Touches. The apps used were downloaded from the Apple store (Ocarina, Retro Synth, miniSynth, and DigiDrummer Lite). Oh, technology...what next? Where's my Marilyn Monroebot?

Tokyo Police Club live at Webster Hall 2.25.2009

Wednesday night New York welcomed Tokyo Police Club back to town for a sold out show at Webster Hall along with the Born Ruffians and the Harlem Shakes. The show was only the second night of their tour but the band proved quickly that they were up to the task rolling through a number of their short upbeat tunes like "Juno" and "Your English Is Good" with enthusiasm.

What’s fun about their live show is the subtle variations in the performance of the songs which on record are often remixed and reworked a number of times. The band was a bit like a poppy, Canadian version of the Ramones with the plethora of great tracks that are nearly all around 2-3 minutes live. The crowd was a mixed bunch between young 16 year old fans using their iphones to grab photos along side twenty something kids dancing and thirty year old hipsters. The stand-outs were some of the more densely melodic songs off their recent album Elephant Shell like “Graves” and “Tessellate” but the band really did a good job keeping it varied and interesting.

One of the highlights was the score of new tracks like “Breakneck Speed” and “Favorite Color”. The most memorable moment was without a doubt the encore as the band stepped back onstage calling the Born Ruffians back out to play a new song, “Spark” which they recently wrote together. The track is really interesting with the merger of TPC’s Dave Monks unique vocal sound pairing up with Born Ruffians singer Luke LaLonde. They closed it out in style inviting the Harlem Shakes out onto the already crowded stage for a classic rendition of the Clash’s “Train In Vain”.

Here's a video clip of “Spark”

Film Review: Vicky Christina Barcelona

Here's a recent review for Vicky Christina Barcelona I did for Short & Sweet NYC- I was happy to see Penelope Cruz win a Best Supporting Actress last night at the Oscars, she was amazing in the film.

Sensual, candid, and intuitive, Vicky Christina Barcelona is one of the best Woody Allen films in years with a tremendous cast and an insightful focus on human behavior, passion, and love. Woody has an excellent understanding of the nature of relationships, or at the very least their failures, after dedicating his movie career to the topic (in addition to his own) and Vicky Christina Barcelona is a film that benefits from his comprehension. The neurosis that is trademark to Allen’s films feels more natural and honest this time around resulting in a direct confrontation with the audience’s fears and sense of security and dis-passion. The film follows two young American women with opposite ideals in the arena of love and romance Vicky (Rebecca Hall) and Christina (Scarlett Johansson), on a summer trip to Barcelona to stay with relatives Judy (Patricia Clarkson) and Mark (Kevin Dunn).

The two women are opposite extremes in terms of their expectations in a relationship and during their stay, they are confronted with a sexual proposition from a local artist, Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem). The women are split in their reactions but they travel with the artist spontaneously for the weekend. This is the point at which the film takes off and focuses on the nature of relationships and their success from an almost mathematical or chemical viewpoint. To make matters more interesting, Juan Antonio’s ex-wife Maria Elena (Penelope Cruz), who is the embodiment of passion, steps into the picture and tips the scales. One of the core themes of the film is in looking at the basic nature of people and their expectations about their relationships and their ability to work when paired with romantic partners.

The film focuses on the ever-fleeting dream of total abandon of the heart, which is all the more romantic when dealing with artists from Barcelona. The characters are well constructed and varied enough that nearly anyone can relate to one of them. The performances are also momentous with very natural and believable portrayals from Bardem, Cruz, and Scarlett Johansson. Patricia Clarkson was a bit distracting even while doing a wonderful job because she appeared so close to Mia Farrow.

In all, the film is perfect in detailing our imperfections and the reality of relationships. The city itself is an unbelievably gorgeous backdrop playing well into the film and the interactions between the characters will stay with you for years. This is a film that will make you re-evaluate yourself on some level, which can be a dangerous, but valuable proposition, and any film that has such a result is important. Without a doubt it is one of 2008’s best and is absolutely worth checking out.