Where The Wild Things Are

Check out the trailer, it looks amazing.  

A Cork In The Current

I'm currently researching Jean Renoir for a class on film / Europe / and Hollywood, here in Amsterdam. I just found this interview and it's fascinating. It's nothing like I expected, especially after watching This Land Is Mine. Don't get me wrong, sometimes I think the man rambles like crazy in this interview, but, what he has to say about technique and art (especially in the second part) really resonates with what I've studied recently (particularly Walter Benjamin's idea of "the aura"). I completely disagree with Renoir's anti-intellectual philosophy, yet, his comments on beauty (although somewhat too general) really stand out: "It's obvious that in a nontechnical era, each action was an artistic act." All and all, it's well worth watching -- even if it's a little heavy handed. 

"Songe D'une Nuit D'emeute"

They're a week late, but here are some photos of our trip to Belgium. Bruges has this whole texture about it, a beautiful run-down, weathered look ... it's hard to describe. I would love to live there, even though it's impossible to find a place to eat at on a Saturday night, awkward.

All That Graffiti

I went searching for a new lens today, and, dismayed at the 240 euro price tag, ended up window shopping along Haarlemmerstraat, instead. I saw some great graffiti, thought, especially this wall on Binnen Brouwersstraat, right before Prinsengracht.

I Turn My Camera On

I dropped off a roll of film last friday at this insanely overpriced shop on Haarlemmerstraat (the one with the big, red, "LEICA" sign). I checked it out even though a few weeks ago, when I asked another shop owner about it, he just grunted, saying, "Nothing in there's under 100 euro." They made good prints though. 

I just picked them up today ... after being really excited all weekend. I'm into them. Plus, after I dropped the roll off on Friday, I finally went into this other photography place -- it's a school -- where I can rent a darkroom. It's really cheap too ... 50 euro for 10 trips to the DOKA (Donkere Kamer -- Dutch for darkroom). Unfortunately, they don't have a full set up where I can process film ... only photo enlargers. I have to get the film processed somewhere else. But, it will be great to mess around with some of the negatives I just got back. 

What else? Oh, yah, my mom came to Amsterdam this weekend. It was a short trip, but we did a lot. On Saturday we rode our bikes north to a small town named Holysloot. There, we ate a pretty delicious, delicious, meal and then made it back to the city in time to check out the Architecture Museum. Sunday we hit up the Van Gogh Museum and had the greatest tomato soup ever at this awesome cafe on the Herengracht.

I hope this was a long enough post for you, Sara, and I'm glad you like the pictures.