Giant Robot Store and GR2 News
I remember Shunji telling me that this isn’t a film about Vampires. The traditional notion of a Vampire movie especially in today’s post Twilight world is that of a bad teenage trend. Perhaps he meant that his film isn’t related to the hipster Hollywood-ization of Dracula, because it’s not. Societies of the cheesy, cape donning vampire with sharp incisors might exist in the underground world, but what if a Vampire was a sensitive, quiet, and shy type of guy? What if he was a regular person with the need for blood? Shunji Iwai, explores the notion of a Vampire who’s not out to bite necks and goth in black, but has the need for blood. The film exists on multiple layers. Simon’s a 28 year old biology teacher who’s actually into the idea of saving lives, while at the same time needs blood. But does he really? Is it either a physical or psychological need? Unlike Hollywood Vampires, he can be in the sun, he’s alive, and blood doesn’t always agree with him. I’ve heard from criticisms of the character and performance, but Simon, played by Kevin Zegers plays the role smoothly, sort of looks like a younger Ethan Hawke. He’s not supposed to be the major orator, cry baby, or hipster. Instead, Zegers had to bring some gloom to the unsunny film. In Iwai’s style of depicting technology in his films, Simon incorporates a suicide website to find his donors who then turn out to be all hot females, from a grown up Whale Rider Keisha Castle-Hughes, blonde Adelaide Clemens, Iwai’s often used Yu Aoi, the effervescent Kristen Kreuk, and “brain on drugs” Rachel Leigh Cook. Emmy award winner Amanda Plummer ads an odd hand as Simons dementia plagued mother in a role that she nails easily. The shots look like something Sofia Coppola could have shot. The images are soft and tender, even in their sad situations. The mix of sparseness and relaxed tones make for a project that looked very Iwai-esque. Nothing gets rushed and everything finds it’s poetic pace that joined by Iwai’s own piano compositions. Shot with Canon 5D, the picture looks sharp. The handheld aesthetic works since it’s not overly shaky, and instead ads a humanistic element to the often ethereal scenes. But standing forward is the Iwai style of making the females look great, telling a dramatic and difficult story about a “Vampire” who’s really not a vampire.
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Mind you, nearly every diner in New York City serves a rather dry German chocolate cake, but this was nice and moist — the coconut still “fresh.” And do you know with whom I shared this dessert with? The incredible film maker, Dai Sil Kim-Gibson, probably best known for Sa-I-Gu. She almost ripped my arm off fighting for the check (and she won, of course). Don’t mess with people from northern Corea!
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Sometimes you worry about new bands becoming too big, too quickly, but that hasn't ever been an issue with The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. Progressing from a series of hot 7″ singles to a cool exploratory EP to an excellent debut album, their latest effort is not more of the same but a true next step. I interviewed the dreamy New York City indie-pop band for Giant Robot 61 way back in 2009 after they sound checked at The Echo. We walked down to the nearby park, got some Mexican ices from a cart vendor, chatted for a while, and took pictures with my friend/photo ace Ben Clark. They delivered the goods in person and on stage, and I can't wait to see them again playing their great new tunes (especially if it's somewhere smaller than Coachella.) As for Lecherous Gaze, I was blown away by Annihilation Time's third and final album, and was stoked to discover a new offering from some of its core members. Check them out. They'll rip you a new one, and you'll thank them afterward. Both releases come out on March 29–plenty of time to case them out online and then purchase them at your favorite local vinyl outlet next week. Even better, buy them from the bands themselves at a show. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Belong The Pains' new songs are as humble and catchy as ever but boast a crisper, heavier sound, which isn't hurt by the big-time Brit pop production team of Flood and Alan Moulder. There's nothing cute, quaint, or half-ass about its second LP's bold mix, which seems right for a group that has grown out of its DIY roots and has become as big as many of the the classic new wave and misfit indie bands that it cites as influences. Possibly as big as Teenage Fanclub ever got yet nowhere near New Order at its peak, they balance somber lyrics with exuberant keyboards, jangly guitars with fuzzed-out bass, and remain as honest and exposed as can be on the other side of world-class knob tuning. “Sadness hurts, and that's okay,” one song goes, and that's especially true when it sounds as gorgeous, lush, and realized as this. [Slumberland] <br /> <br /> Lecherous Gaze – S/T The musical wrecking crew from Annihilation Time is carrying on with a new singer,
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Created with flickr slideshow from softsea.
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[nggallery id=38] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Group art show opening Water Works at GR2 – A benefit for UNICEF and child victims of the earthquake in Japan March 19 – April 13, 2011 Reception: Saturday, March 19, 6:30 – 10:00 p.m. GR2 2062 Sawtelle Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90025 gr2.net (310) 445-9276 The U.S. Fund for UNICEF (USF) is raising funds to help children in Japan impacted by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. This is an unusual decision, as Japan is a donor to UNICEF, not a recipient of its assistance. However, due to the unprecedented nature of the epic disaster and its impact on children, resources are going to be critical in helping provide for the very unique needs of children. These may include health, development, and protection and other needs that may have been compromised or disrupted in the wake of the catastrophe. Giant Robot is proud to join the effort, and have asked many of our talented friends to create water-themed art to raise funds to support the efforts of UNICEF. In addition to raising money by selling artwork, Giant Robot will be donating the following to UNICEF: 1. Proceeds from the sale of water bottles featuring labels created by artists and signed by celebrities. 2. Fifty percent of proceeds from Giant Robot’s small restaurant, gr/eats, on Saturday, March 19. 3. A percentage of all sales at Giant Robot, GR2, and GRSF during the weekend of March 18-20. 4. Raffles for donated merchandise including designer- and artist-signed items, GR gear, horseback rides, and other items. 5. Cash donations accepted for UNICEF. Contributors include the following: Andrice Arp Gary Baseman Chris Bettig Bigfoot Jude Buffum Chris Buzelli Louise Chen David Choe Luke Chueh Jesse Fillingham Renee French Ayako Fujitani Matt Furie Rodney Greenblat Katherine Guillen Joe Hahn Clement Hanami David Horvath Mari Inukai James Jean kozyndan Jesse LeDoux Lisa Ling Barry McGee Ryan McGinness Jeff McMillan Junko Mizuno Megan Mullally Gary Musgrave Mark Nagata Saelee Oh Bryan Lee O’Malley Nathan Ota Mu Pan Albert Reyes Jay Ryan Rob Sato Ryan Jacob Smith Deth P. Sun Jillian Tamaki Katsuya Terada Edwin Ushiro Esther Pearl Watson Daniel Wu Yoskay Yamamoto Kohei Yamashita This event is made possible by the generous help of Intertrend Communications, the most innovative, digitally savvy Asian marketing agency in the country. In addition, Intertrend has pledged to match the first $10,000 raised by proceeds and donations through Giant Robot. Giant Robot was born as a Los Angeles-based magazine about Asian, Asian-American, and new hybrid culture in 1994, but has evolved into a full-service pop culture provider with shops and galleries in Los Angeles and San Francisco, as well as an online equivalent. The opening reception featuring many of the artists will take place from 6:30 – 10:00 on Saturday, March 19. For more information about the fund raiser, GR2, or Giant Robot magazine, please contact: Eric Nakamura Giant Robot Owner/Publisher eric@giantrobot.com (310) 479-7311 ###
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