The Queen of Consumerism

      This is no fairytale but it has a Queen, and that is Jackie- 30 years junior, trophy wife of the businessman David Siegel. The objective of this documentary film was to witness the construction process of the biggest house in America- a 90,000 square feet palace modeled on the Las Vegas version of the French chateau of Versailles. When the answer to “Why are you building the greatest family house in America?” is “Because I can,” we get a hint of the lifestyle that these characters are used to. But the storyline changes completely with the fall of the market and the burst of the real estate bubble, when the Siegel family loses some of their millionaire possessions.

      This film has a different impact on the viewer. At first, one condemns the characters to satire and then with the sudden change of events, we learn to look at them from another point of view. Who would think they could relate to a billionaire family? But they weren’t born wealthy, they have a rags-to-riches stories on their backs, and they personify the modern American dream.

      The course of the film and incredible good timing manages to give a twist to the story. In words of one of the eight Siegel kids: “There is nothing normal about this life.”

      Despite the over-the-top expenses and an outstanding social agenda, the eccentric taste and uniqueness of Jackie Siegel is somehow magnetic and the extravaganza of it all entertains. We get many different characters, such as the nannies/full time mothers or the personal driver. And one of the most charismatics: the head of the family- CEO of Westgate Resorts- someone who “can’t separate business from personal.” During a period of cutbacks, the Siegels insist that everything changes, but you can’t get by without the support of friends and family.

      Though the film-maker has been accused of manipulation, we get a close reality-show like contact with that life. It gets so intimate that we might me oddly moved by the story.

      All in all, it is a contradiction of feelings that we encounter; sympathy versus shadenfreude.

      Lauren Greenfield was awarded the Sundance Film Festival Directing Award in 2012 for her direction of this documentary. And it is well deserved. This perspective of the economic crisis is narrated in a way never seen before.

Do not let this universe regret you

Lucky the day I came across these verses:

leaving is not enough; you must stay gone. 

      The start of a whirlwind of words that got me tangled in her poems. Was it destiny, maybe fate? No.
It was Facebook. That is how I found Marty McConnell. New York poet swinging between the fight for a cause and the cure of broken hearts. And it's not just me, someone else thought she was a keeper and published wine for a shotgun.

      You can find her on her website, Twitter, tumblr., in numerous poetry slam videos on YouTube...nothing's stopping you.

      Get yourself some 21st century American poetry while I go get myself some coffee.

NYT Defense: “Tweaking Rap's Rules, but with Respect.”

Jon Caramanica is no stranger to the state of affairs in the rap world. As the music editor of Vibe magazine, a bi-monthly publication dedicated to rap, hip-hop, and R&B, Mr Caramanica has witnessed the rise of many a young rapper.

In an article published January 17^th, 2013, in the New York Times arts and culture section, he turns his attention to Harlem based rapper Rakim Mayers, better known as A$AP Rocky.

The A$AP acronym Rocky adopted stands for; Always Strive and Prosper, Assassinating Snitches and Police, or Acronym Symbolizing any Purpose, depending on who you ask. The ambiguity surrounding his moniker is a reflection of his own pioneering style, from the thinly veiled double-entendres in “Cockiness” to the the Marty Mcfly references in “Back to the Future”.

A$AP prefers “how words sound rather than what they say”. Even so, he exhibits a mastery of  language, exemplified in his latest album, “Long.Live.A$AP”. Being his first major label release, A$AP has made the leap from releasing obscure mix tapes online to becoming one of the most promising young rappers in the game.

Django, unchained and ready to rock [Edit]

       When we talk about Quentin Tarantino, one cannot hold back certain expectations. And what are those? –Blood, some action and incredibly witty dialogues. But also something else, it’s that something about Tarantino movies that makes a difference. Whether it’s the absurd situations, the wonderfully twisted characters, or the unpredictable course of action, the result is always genius.  And Django’s full of that.

       It is technically an American western film, but it goes so much further. It has the romance, the comedy, the action and the history. As he did in his previous piece of work, Inglorious Basterds, Tarantino gathers the facts and then presents his version of history. Many Westerns take place during the slavery era but somehow, they get around it. Mr. Tarantino faced and embraced that, creating a brave and sometimes harsh feature film.

      Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz), a German dentist and bounty hunter frees a slave named Django (Jamie Foxx), a black hero defying all the social conventions of the time, one of a kind, whose aim is to find and free his wife Broomhilda (Kerry Washington). But on their way stand the mighty and ruthless Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his double-faced old servant Stephen (Samuel L. Jackson).This luxury cast will not disappoint.

      The soundtrack is a gem. Not only the more southern tracks create the right atmosphere to the scenes, but the surprising change of rhythm gave me goosebumps more than once. The person who is able to balance spaghetti western tracks along with the most up-to-date hip hop deserves at least, a standing ovation- or why not, an Academy Award.

      Tarantino goes for western illustrations in real life. Magnificent scenery along with situations and lines that will make you burst into laughter. Some may think that the comedy aspect of some of the characters is disrespectful to the history of slavery; I disagree. He is just adding a modern touch to a classic movie genre. It is not a documentary and let’s not forget that the first aim of this movie is to entertain.

      There is an integral consistency to the way each character behaves, a motive that leads them; although the romantic guidance of events calls for a little too much predictability. We know how detailed Mr. Tarantino is when personifying characters. There is no pointlessness; nothing is up to fate or out of place.

Django, unchained and ready to rock

I was sitting there, trying to hold back my expectations; but how can you not have them? It’s Quentin Tarantino we’re talking about. And what did I expect? –Blood, some action and incredibly witty dialogues. But also something else, it’s that something about Tarantino movies that makes a difference.  And Django’s full of that.

Technically an American western film, but it goes so much further. It has the romance, the comedy, the action and the history. As he did in his previous piece of work, Inglorious Bastards, Tarantino gathers the facts and then presents his version of History. Many Westerns take place during the slavery era but somehow, they get around it. Mr. Tarantino faced and embraced that, creating a brave- and sometimes harsh- feature film.

Texas, 1858- Dr. King Schultz (Waltz), a German dentist and bounty hunter frees a slave named Django (Foxx), a black hero whose aim is to find and free his wife Broomhilda (Washington). But on their way stand the mighty and ruthless Calvin Candie (DiCaprio) and his double-faced old servant Stephen (Jackson). Astonishing performances by a luxury cast that will not disappoint. Wonderfully twisted characters; Tarantino at its best.

Being a declared melomaniac, I find the soundtrack to be a gem. Not only the more southern tracks create the right atmosphere to the scenes, but the surprising change of rhythm gave me goosebumps more than once. The one able to balance spaghetti western tracks along with the most up-to-date hip hop deserves at least, a standing ovation- or why not, an Academy Award.

Tarantino goes for western illustrations in real life. Magnificent scenery along with situations and lines that will make you burst into laughter. Is the comedy aspect of some of the characters disrespectful to the history of slavery? That might offend and inconvenience some people, but it is just adding a modern touch to a classic genre. Let’s not forget that the first aim of this movie is to entertain.

There is an integral consistency to the way each character behaves, a motive that leads them; although the romantic guidance of events calls for a little too much predictability. We know how detailed Mr. Tarantino is when personifying characters. There is no pointlessness; nothing is up to fate or out of place. And if you don’t feel this way, I encourage you to watch it again.