Code Unknown.

Code Unknown (Code inconnu: Récit incomplet de divers voyages)


Wiki:
Code Unknown: Incomplete Tales of Several Journeys (Code inconnu: Récit incomplet de divers voyages) is a 2000 film directed by Michael Haneke. Most of the story occurs in Paris, France, where the fates of several characters intersect and connect. Cinematically, the film is composed of unedited long takes filmed in real time, cut only when the perspective within a scene changes from one character's to another in mid-action.



The first street scene lasting nine minutes (reminding me of the long takes in the movie Children of Men) introduces four of the main characters. As things develop in the scene I was drawn in to it’s realism. It was more like watching real life taped with a video camera than a movie scene.


As in most Michael Haneke movies, the main characters are named Anne and Georges. The star of this movie is Juliette Binoche who plays Anne. (She is also an Anne in Heneke’s 2005 movie Cache.)


Code Unknown, like Cache, left me confused at the end though with both of them I enjoyed the ride.

Rakehell.

An old term, some pictures, and dark little story told in song. They go well together.

Rakehell:

A rake, short for rakehell, is a historic term applied to a man who is habituated to immoral conduct, frequently a heartless womaniser. Often a rake was a man who wasted his (usually inherited) fortune on gambing, wine, women and song, incurring lavish debts in the process. The rake was also frequently a man who seduced a young woman and impregnated her before leaving, often to her social or financial ruin.

I had entered into a marriage
In the summer of my twenty-first year
And the bells rang for our wedding
Only now do I remember it clear
Alright, alright, alright

No more a rake and no more a bachelor
I was wedded and it whetted my thirst
Until her womb started spilling out babies
Only then did I reckon my curse
Alright, alright, alright
Alright, alright, alright

First came Isaiah with his crinkled little fingers
Then came Charlotte and that wretched girl Dawn
Ugly Myfanwy died on delivery
Mercifully taking her mother along
Alright, alright, alright

What can one do when one is a widower
Shamefully saddled with three little pests?
All that I wanted was the freedom of a new life
So my burden I began to divest
Alright, alright, alright
Alright, alright, alright

Charlotte I buried after feeding her foxglove
Dawn was easy, she was drowned in the bath
Isaiah fought but was easily bested
Burned his body for incurring my wrath
Alright, alright, alright

And that's how I came your humble narrator
To be living so easy and free
Expect that you think that I should be haunted
But it never really bothers me
Alright, alright, alright
Alright, alright, alright

An old rake with no (off the?) handle.

Three tines stuck violently into stump.

Two jail like bars, one horseshoe = three.

Things seen in a bigger perspective. Three of them.

Some misc pictures I took by my wood pile.

Made me think of The Decemberists. And this song.

Old things and many sets of three in the subjects.

I've posted this song before but it worked well with the photos.

Backyard Lattice Fire.

Actually the fire was in our driveway

but I like the similarity to the band name

Backyard Tire Fire.

Not many videos on youtube yet; really good, raw, bluesy sound.

A couple shots of spare lattice burning

and one really good,

but really dark picture of Amy and Shanda.

From 2010-05-15-driveway-fire

From 2010-05-15-driveway-fire

From 2010-05-15-driveway-fire

From 2010-05-15-driveway-fire

Letters from the sky.

Remember the spring mini-series from last year? Harper's Island? If not see link below:

so what the fuss: Harper's to Disco Pigs.

(Katie Cassidy from show, mentioned above blog, David Cassidy's daughter, is just now premiering in the remake of Nightmare on Elm Street by the way. And, glad I went back to this old post - I still haven't seen Disco Pigs yet. Ha. Adding to my Netflix queue.!!!!)

This song by Civil Twilight is from Harper Island's soundtrack. Letters from the sky.

I'm starting to hear it more on the radio, it's growing on me. Kind of a Cold Play influence. Muse was mentioned too. I agree.

By the way, this year's version of Harper's Island seems to be Happy Town. I've seen one episode so far. Not unwatcheable. Sheriff reminds me of Stacey Keach. Stephen King influence as most other mystery, supernatural genre summer replacement tv shows are.

Backyard (tire) fire.

Last Sunday I was out in the backyard (for the first time this year) getting the garden ready for planting.
One spot (and adjoining rocks) is always overrun with small little (fire?) ants.
They swarm up your hands and arms, annoying and sometimes biting while you weed around them.
Later, playing around with the camera, I took a close picture (with lens), closer (with more lens), and a closest (macro).
I don't have a DSLR so it's pretty hard to keep the focus right on. I thought they came out pretty well.
Anyway, fire ants (maybe they are?) in the backyard brought to mind a somewhat local band that's been getting alot of radio play lately,

Backyard Tire Fire: Roadsong #39...

Close.

Closer.

Closest.


Wiki:
Backyard Tire Fire is an American trio that formed in Asheville, NC in 2001. The band began in the fall of that year with founding members Ed Anderson (vocals, guitars, keyboards) and Tim Kramp (drums, percussion). After encountering several line-up changes, the Tire Fire moved from Asheville to Athens, Georgia in 2002. They (along with then-bass player Warren Hawk) released their first album Live at the Georgia Theatre later that year.

After the release of their debut album, Backyard Tire Fire relocated once again to Bloomington, Illinois and added Anderson's brother Matt (bass, vocals) into the mix. The Anderson brothers had originally grown up in St. Charles, IL, Tim Kramp in Bloomington, IL and Ed Anderson received his masters in Interpersonal Communication from Illinois State University (located in Normal, IL, Bloomington's sister town).

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros.

The song is called HOME, it should make you smile.

[Her:]
Alabama, Arkansas,
I do love my ma and pa,
Not the way that I do love you.

[Him:]
Holy, Moley, me, oh my,
You're the apple of my eye,
Girl I've never loved one like you.

[Her:]
Man oh man you're my best friend,
I scream it to the nothingness,
There ain't nothing that I need.

[Him:]
Well, hot and heavy, pumpkin pie,
Chocolate candy, Jesus Christ,
Ain't nothing please me more than you.

[Both:]
Ahh Home. Let me come home
Home is wherever I'm with you.
Ahh Home. Let me go ho-oh-ome.
Home is wherever I'm with you.

La, la, la, la, take me home.
Mother, I'm coming home.

[Him:]
I'll follow you into the park,
Through the jungle through the dark,
Girl I never loved one like you.

[Her:]
Moats and boats and waterfalls,
Alley-ways and pay phone calls,
I've been everywhere with you.

[Him:]
We laugh until we think we'll die,
Barefoot on a summer night
Nothin' new is sweeter than with you

[Her:]
And in the streets you run afree,
Like it's only you and me,
Geeze, you're something to see.


[Both:]
Ahh Home. Let me go home.
Home is wherever I'm with you.
Ahh Home. Let me go ho-oh-ome.
Home is wherever I'm with you.

La, la, la, la, take me home.
Daddy, I'm coming home.

(Talking)
Him: Jade
Her: Alexander
Him: Do you remember that day you fell outta my window?
Her: I sure do, you came jumping out after me.
Him: Well, you fell on the concrete, nearly broke your ass, you were bleeding all over the place and I rushed you out to the hospital, you remember that?
Her: Yes I do.
Him: Well there's something I never told you about that night.
Her: What didn't you tell me?
Him: While you were sitting in the backseat smoking a cigarette you thought was gonna be your last, I was falling deep, deeply in love with you, and I never told you til just now.

[Both:]
Ahh Home. Let me go home.
Home is wherever I'm with you.
Ahh Home. Let me go ho-oh-ome.
Home is where I'm alone with you.

[Him:]
Home. Let me come home.
Home is wherever I'm with you.

[Her:]
Ahh home. Yes I am ho-oh-ome.
Home is when I'm alone with you.

[Her:]
Alabama, Arkansas,
I do love my ma and pa...
Moats and boats and waterfalls,
Alley-ways and pay phone calls...

[Both:]
Ahh Home. Let me go home.
Home is wherever I'm with you.
Ahh Home. Let me go ho-oh-ome.
Home is where I'm alone with you...

1901.

Phoenix (from WIKI): Phoenix is a French alternative rock band started during their childhood by Thomas Mars, Deck D'Arcy, Christian Mazzalai and Laurent Brancowitz in the suburb of Versailles, in the same culture that produced late-'90s bands such as Air and Daft Punk.

1901:



Counting all different ideas drifting away
Past and present -- they don't matter.
Now the future's sorted out
Watch, you're moving in elliptical pattern
Think it's not what you say
What you say is way too complicated
For a minute thought I couldn't tell how to fall out.

It's 20 seconds 'til the last call, going "hey hey hey hey hey hey"
Lie down, you know it's easy like we did it all summer long
And I'll be anything you ask and more, going "hey hey hey hey hey hey"
It's not a miracle we needed, and no I wouldn't let you think so
Falling, falling, falling, falling

Mykonos.

Fleet Foxes. I posted one of their songs last October.

They were at Lollalooza a couple weeks ago. I was thinking they might have been a bit too mellow for the venue but they drew a good sized crowd (in the rain and mud).

Mykonos has a retro sound that reminds me a bit of Crosby, Stills, Nash,(and Young). Also Neil Young (on his own) and Buffalo Springfield.

And you will go to Mykonos
With a vision of a gentle coast
And a sun to maybe dissipate
Shadows of the mess you made

How did any holes in the snow tipped pines, I find
Hatching from the seed of your thin mind, all night?

And you will go to Mykonos
With a vision of a gentle coast
And a sun to maybe dissipate
Shadows of the mess you made

Brother you don't need to turn me away
I was waiting down at the ancient gate

You go
Wherever you go today
You go today

I remember how they took you down
As the winter turned the meadow brown

You go
Wherever you go today
You go today

When I'm walking brother don't you forget
It ain't often you'll ever find a friend

You go
Wherever you go today
You go today

The Unborn.

The Unborn is a supernatural thriller that draws upon the legend of a dybbuk, a malevolent spirit that refuses to leave the human world and inhabits the body of a person...

An evil child with bright blue eyes (and nasty teeth and dark rings around his eyes), nazi experiments, the Holocaust, twins, a dead twin, an exorcism, different colored iris', mirrors, possessed neighbor kid, a creepy bull dog with a creepier mask, and filmed in Chicago.

All of this and only 12% at Rotten Tomato? Actually that's about right.

It was good rainy afternoon fare with a couple scary parts but nothing that stood out. Here are the characters and other movies I'd rather see them in.

Odette Yustman, see her in Cloverfield:

Casey Beldon (Odette Yustman) is the main character. She is bothered by nightmares and visions of an evil spirt.

Her mom (for just seconds on the screen) is Janet Beldon (Carla Gugino).

Carla Gugino, see her in Karen Sisco, The Lookout, Watchmen:

Jane Alexander as Sofi Kozma, survivor of the Holocaust, is her previously unknown grandmother with many secrets to tell.

Jane Alexander, see her in The Ring:

Jane Alexander (younger), see her older movies Kramer vs Kramer, Brubaker, All the President's Men:

Meagan Good is her friend Romy.

Meagan Good, see her in Brick, Stomp the Yard:

Gary Oldman plays Rabbi Sendak who can perform a Jewish exorcism to remove the dybbuk.

Gary Oldman, see him as Sirius Black in Harry Potter movies, the movie Leon (also know as The Professional), Lost in Space:

Trailer:

The Silversun Pickups, Panic Switch.

The chorus got me. Catchy, to me it sounds vaguely familiar but I can't place it:

I'm waiting and fading and floating away
I'm waiting and fading and floating away
I'm waiting and fading and floating away
I'm waiting and fading and floating ...

I'm waiting and fading and floating away
Waiting and fading and floating away
Waiting and fading and floating away
Waiting and fading and flailing and fading

I've heard this a couple times now, liking it more each time. Their sound reminds me of the early 90's, back in the day of the Breeders, The Pixies, Belly, Julianna Hatfield, etc.

Anway, from Wiki:

Silversun Pickups is an American indie rock band from Los Angeles, California, comprising Brian Aubert (lead vocals, guitar), Nikki Monninger (bass, vocals), Christopher Guanlao (drums) and Joe Lester (keyboards).

The band's sound, often encompassing multiple overdubs of distorted guitars, is frequently compared to that of The Smashing Pumpkins, while the band members have said they are heavily influenced by artists such as My Bloody Valentine, the Velvet Underground, Elliott Smith, Sonic Youth, Sweet, Modest Mouse, and Secret Machines as well as numerous other artists with lesser publicity.

Panic Switch:

The Tracey Fragments.

This really is The Tracey Fragments. Pieces of movie all at once.

The whole film consists of multiple windows popping open carrying the scenes and story. Sometimes it's very inventive and eye catching. More times it's annoying and hard to follow. Fortunately the movie is only 77 minutes long.

I like Ellen Page, seeing her in Hard Candy and Juno. She's that cool 15 year old that I wished I had hung around with when I was that age (though my parents would have killed me). Kind of a young Zoey Deschannel but a better actress.

Rotten gives the movie a terrible 38%. I didn't think it was that bad.

I'm glad I watched it, at least for Ellen's performance, the special effects that worked, the strange and almost funny plot, and for the indy soundtrack.

---------- Below is the trailer and referenced notes from epinions.com

Ellen Page (Tracy Berkowitz)

Maxwell McCabe Lokos (Lance)

Ari Cohen (Misses Berkowitz)

Eric McMurty (Mister Berkowitz)

Slim Twig (Billy Zero)

Zie Souwand (Sunny Berkowitz)

Directed By Bruce Mcdonald. Written By Maureen Medved. Screenplay by Maureen Medved, based upon her novel "The Tracy Fragments."

Plot: Tracy Berkowitz (Ellen Page) is a social outcast whose life takes a rather strange and unexpected turn when she hypnotizes her little brother Sunny (Zie Souwand) and he disappears. The disappearance of Sunny further strains her relationship with her parents, Mister and Misses Berkowitz (Ari Cohen and Eric McMurty.) Tracy, wracked with guilty, and dying to relieve some of the heat coming down on her courtesy of her parents, sets out to find Sunny.
(source: http://www.epinions.com/content_457542635140 )

Song, Summer 2009.

Its still early but so far this is my favorite song for the Summer of 2009. (The one song that reminds you of that summer more than any other. One that seems to be on all the time but you don't mind.)

It doesn't have to be a big hit but doesn't hurt if it is.

It might be a group I saw live or maybe just a song that got alot of airplay.

I like Zero because of the lyrics and the touch of Siouxie Sioux in the vocals. (Of course it didn't hurt that Clint also likes this and we played it liberally at his house over the 4th of July.)

Zero by the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs.

Shake it like a ladder to the sun
Makes me feel like a madman on the run
Find me, never, never far gone
So get your leather, leather, leather on, on, on, on

Runner up this summer would be Franz Ferdinand channeling Jim Morrison with

No you girls.

Ten years ago, for me it was Good Thing by The Fine Young Cannibals.

In 2006 (covered by many groups at Lollapalooza) it was Crazy, Gnarles Barkley.

Can't forget Lily Allen with Smile either in 2006.

2007 brought me favorites North American Scum and Ruby by LCD SoundSystem and Kaiser Chiefs respectively.

Last year, 2008, I'd have to say it was I will Possess Your Heart by Death Cab for Cutie.

Bell X1.

Bell X1 are an Irish rock band from County Kildare in Ireland.

They have thus far released four critically-acclaimed albums in Ireland, and in recent years have gained success in the United States, where their music has been used on popular television shows such as The O.C. and Grey's Anatomy.

Listening to this song on the radio; The Great Defector, I assumed it was the Talking Heads until I heard otherwise. Had me fooled, totally.

Show: Late Show with David Letterman (1993)

• Julia Roberts, Bell X1
16x108: (Mar/17/2009)
As
Themselves

• Rainn Wilson, Mike Golic & Mike Greenberg, Bell X1
15x83: (Mar/17/2008)
As
Themselves
Show: The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (2005)

• Jackie Chan, Bell X1
04x67: (Apr/16/2008)
As
Themselves

• Thandie Newton, Dom Irrera, Bell X1
04x53: (Mar/25/2008)
As
Themselves
Show: Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993)

• Tom Brokaw, Anthony Jeselnik, Bell X1
15x39: (Jan/15/2008)
As
Themselves

Harper's to Disco Pigs.

More times than not, I watched episodes of the summer series, Harper's Island. It was a bloody, not very realistic or logical, mystery event made to kill off some of that little watched summer scheduling for CBS.

Anyway, it was fun in a way; a wedding is planned on an island, with the wedding party staying a week. The problem is a killer(s) is loose and killing off people one by one. (Similiar plot to a much better Agatha Christie 10 Little Indians.)

The final was on last Saturday and while home watching it, I still missed the last few minutes of it. (Most of the mystery was already explained). Just to make sure I didn't miss any final last twist, I went to a review site a day later to read how it ended. No surprises.

I did notice two of the actors had the same last names so I looked them up. (I like trivia).

One was Katie Cassidy (blonde below). She looked very familiar. Father is David Cassidy (good trivia) and she has appeared a number of times on Supernatural (TV show on the CW).

The other Cassidy was Elaine. I never had seen her before but she had a character look that would fit really well on a Stephen King mini-series. She's Irish and has been in a few movies, including The Truth, Felicia's Journey (Bob Hoskins), and Disco Pigs. I think the middle one was rated the best but I was drawn to Disco Pigs, if not just for the title. It was adapted from a 1996 play of the same name.

(I'd watch any of them if I see them come up on cable. Lesser seen, more interesting to me. Sometimes you find a gem. Usually not. Ha.)

Disco Pigs:





From Fixster:

Pig and Runt - born on the same day, in the same hospital, moments apart.

Twins, all but by blood. Inseparable from birth, they are almost telepathic.

They are also partners in crime, with an appetite for recklessness, exploration and destruction.

But days before their 17th birthday the perfect balance of their world begins to shift.

Pig's sexual awakening and increasing jealousy begins to threaten the private universe they have spent their lives constructing.

Unable to contemplate the loss of Runt, Pig's unpredictable nature spirals out of control in a trail of violence.

The invisible thread between them is stretched to breaking point, the inseparable are about to separate, and which one will survive depends on which one can break free.

Ain't no and Ain't no.

I think these two songs compliment each other with their energy and style. Ain't I right?

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (BRMC for short) is an American alternative rock band from San Francisco, California, now based in Los Angeles.

"Ain't No Easy Way" was on the soundtrack of the movie The Guardian and season 1,

episode 15 of My Name is Earl, called "Something to Live For".

It's easy to fall in love
When you fall in love you know you're done
you got easy eyes to hunt
when the world above needs your blood
and the cold vain to the richest man
They're paid away to steal our hand
There ain't no easy way no there ain't no easy way out
There ain't no easy way no there ain't no easy way out
There ain't no easy way no there ain't no easy way out

Cage the Elephant is an American rock band from Bowling Green,

Kentucky where they were originally known as "Perfect Confusion."

Their single "Ain't No Rest For the Wicked" reached number 32 on the UK Singles Chart.



"Oh, there ain't no rest for the wicked,
Money don't grow on trees.
I got bills to pay,
I got mouths to feed,
There ain't nothing in this world for free.
I know I can't slow down,
I can't hold back,
Though you know, I wish I could.
No there ain't no rest for the wicked,
Until we close our eyes for good".

Lantern

These are lantern flowers from last fall's garden.

This was taken on my cribbage board and turned to b/w.

Come on what's-your-name
I've got a good game
I've got a story
Hope you like 'em gory
And it's much too late for bed
Come on tiger why so tired
I've got good game plus i'll let you win again
And it's much too late for bed
So shi-shine on me
Shi-shine on me
I crave your company
And fall in the dark so be my lantern
Never have i seen that face on one so young
So shi-shine on me
Shi-shine on me
I crave your company
And fall in the dark so by my lantern
Be my lantern


Tanya Donelly Lantern lyrics

Below:
They are orangish red at their peak.

It almost looks like an alien pod is inside it.

This is the most natural colored photo of the pod.

Not dead yet.

The past few days made me think of this song.

This was the one video I could find on youtube.

I love the lyrics.

Bad Examples, Not Dead Yet:

I was born too late to play in the rolling stones
I don't know jimmy page, I never met yoko ono
Standing with a strat, I'm rock and roll's bastard son
Go out, get drunk, get laid, have fun
I don't got a million dollars, don't drive a cadillac
Gimme half a chance, 'cause I'm not dead yet
(chorus)
I'm not dead yet - not dead yet
I'm a mad dog fighting with the wall against my back
You'd better get a bigger gun, I'm not dead yet

I been machine-gunned, hand-gunned, hijacked, left for dead
Divebombed, napalmed, nuclear warheaded
Dropped from a jet plane with no parachute
Shot by a firing squad and raped by a business suit
I'm dancing on a landmine, one leg left
But I can still crawl and I'm not dead yet

Chorus

Well, you're bigger, tougher, meaner, rougher
Dirtier and uglier and sneakier and trickier
You wanna shoot me with a gun, cut me with a knife
Take your bare hands and rip out my eyes
You kicked me in the balls and bit me in the neck
Hit me again, 'cause I'm not dead yet

Chorus

Well there's a mugger in the alley, there's a sniper in the hall
There's a girl at the bar wants to get me by the balls
The hangman is hanging if I autograph the noose
And lee harvey oswald's brother's on the loose
There's a mafia hitman with a bullet for my back
Someday he's gonna get me, but I'm not dead yet

I'm not dead yet - not dead yet
I'm a wild card waiting in the middle of the deck
You'd better get a bigger gun, I'm not dead yet

Chorus

A Machine for Loving.

The title might be a bit deceiving. This is a song about a dog and about dogs.

An interesting song by Iggy Pop sung in narrative style
reminding me of ( Candy).


I like it.

Two weeks after my arrival, Fox died

Just after sunset

I was stretched out on the bed

when he approached

and tried painfully to jump up

He wagged his tail nervously.

Since the beginning

He hadn't touched his bowl once

He had lost a lot of weight

I helped him to settle on my lap

For a few seconds, he looked at me

With a curious mixture of exhaustion and apology

Then, calmed, he closed his eyes

Two minutes later he gave out his last breath.

I buried him beside the residence

At the western extremity of the land

Surrounded by the protective fence

Next to his predecessors

During the night, a rapid transport from the Central City

Dropped off an identical dog

They knew the codes and how to work the barrier

I didn't have to get up to greet them

A small white and ginger mongrel came toward me

Wagging its tail I gestured to him

He jumped on the bed and stretched out beside me.

Love is simple to define

But it seldom happens in the series of beings

Through these dogs we pay homage to love

And to its possibility.

What is a dog but a machine for loving

You introduce him to a human being,

Giving him the mission to love

And however ugly, perverse, deformed or stupid

This human being might be

The dog loves him.

The dog loves him.

The Mad Ones.

I just saw this reviewed with the author on The Daily Show.

The title "Mad Ones" comes from a Jack Kerouac quote about the Beats.

Joey Gallo wrote poetry, argued about the meaning of life, dug jazz and read Camus.

Also, he was handy with a chain whip, had a talent for extortion and bit the ear off a jailhouse enemy.

Part thug, part beatnik - Gallo lived in two worlds that really didn't overlap too well.

(Review Source)

Bob Dylan's song Joey is about Joey Gallo.

Company of Thieves, Oscar Wilde.

Company of Thieves is a Chicago indie rock trio.

This is Oscar Wilde (download here if you like it.)

Oscar Wilde has been dead for over a century but many of his quotes seem to fit current events.

Just today...

From Yahoo News :

Recent reports describe him as overweight and a heavy drinker.

Now 26 (years young), Kim Jong Un has reportedly been tapped to

become the next leader of nuclear-armed North Korea.

From Oscar Wilde - three quotations:

Work is the curse of the drinking classes.

I am not young enough to know everything.

A man cannot be too careful in the choice of his enemies.