CIA: American Casino And It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas

Just in case last night's Cleveland Orchestra concert wasn't enough to nudge me into the Christmas spirit, today -- the first meaningful snow on this side of town is certainly helping.

As a technology geek, ahem, professional, I'm ashamed to admit that I don't own a digital camera, the below stills came from my home:

Since I don't have to shovel anything yet I'm still in the "oh, isn't it cute" phase of winter. I decided I needed a movie today... something to get me out of the house without involving the outdoors or requiring putting any attention to the way I looked in public... I actually have been in the mood for a few weeks but nothing mainstream sufficiently moved me.

I noticed American Casino was on the schedule for CIA's Cinamatheque this evening and the topic intrigued me, so I made my way that direction for the 5:30 showing.

The film is, essentially, a documentary on the Wall Street/Housing
meltdown and it is informative but it doesn't really reveal any new information. Aside from a reference to Wall Street being a casino early on in the film the title is never really developed, and by taking a scatter shot approach to story telling -- some politicians, some displaced homeowners, some former employees of the various financial concerns, even several different cities -- you're left with a feeling more that you've gotten a very general survey than developing anything approaching an in-depth look; I also found it very hard to develop a connection with any of the individuals. Dobama's The Cleveland Plays, Part II: Dream/Home last season covered pretty much all of the same ground but really drew you into a more personal connection with the individuals.

Near the end of the film, though, it was a little depressing to see Riverside County, California featured, as I grew up in Southern Riverside County. During this segment it was interesting to learn the tertiary impact of foreclosed/vacant homes in the manner of pest control: Pools get turned off to save money, algae grows, mosquitoes multiply and spread disease; meanwhile vegetation grows uncontrolled creating a fine habitat for snakes... and of course the costs to abate both of those issues are borne by the taxpayer.

Lincoln

CMA: After Hours w/ Sheer Frost Orchestra and Eats Tapes)

Friday evening the Cleveland Museum of Art opened a companion exhibition to the Gauguin show featuring ten works by students at the Cleveland Institute of Art-- the opening also featured works by Sheer Frost Orchestra and Eats Tapes.

In three parts:
The Art, CIA Students: Cleveland 2009: I would suggest that anyone attending the Museum first walk through the gallery and just enjoy the art then read the exhibition book and go through again... Most of the pieces are interesting in one way or another, though I think my favorite concept was either Exchange Rate or 10' x 8' x 100. Operator and Spectator is just kind of fun and Standard Shipping Error is a sort of whimsical look at what could have been if, I suppose, Gauguin's work had been trusted to a shipping company en route to it's exhibition.

Sheer Frost Orchestra: The concept is certainly unusual-- 17 electric guitars played lying flat on the ground using bottles of nail polish the connection between performer and instrument. The sound created could only be described as ethereal, and the one or two occasions where something resembling a "normal" electric guitar sound was heard seemed aberrant. I'm not sure which was worse, however: The people carrying on relative loud conversations in the gallery during the performance or the unidentified woman who made not one but two announcements about the same.

Eats Tapes: I love the name of this duo; it took me a few minutes to get warmed up to electronic sound but wow. Interesting sounds and rhythms literally pulsating through the building -- I'm pretty sure the curators will notice some seismic activity in the East wing. Had the lights been turned off in the Key Bank Lobby, the scene outside of the Gauguin galleries would have been largely indistinguishable from a nightclub... some interesting and organic dancing with a fantastically diverse crowd from somewhere around 18 up.

Lincoln

CIA Cinematheque - twofer

Last Sunday I did the Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque's The Limits of Control. I just didn't get it... though it did prompt me to buy a Violin on eBay. Long story.

Today I did "Examined Life" which was an interesting philosophical peice. It started strong but somewhere around the midpoint I felt like it lost its message or focus... But the "The Unexamined Life is Not Worth Living" (I've always thought that line belonged to Socrates but the film credits it to Plato)