JAMES M. ROY: February 2013

Porn or Movie

I came across 9 Songs on a list of the 10 most controversial sex scenes ever. Naturally, I was intrigued. It was controversial because it was porn being marketed as a movie.

All of the sex in this movie was real. I do not mean graphic simulations. I mean the male lead had actual penetrating sex and otherwise with the female lead. As porn, it is not at all controversial. As a movie... it falls short, to be polite.

By its name, there were 9 songs performed live:

"Whatever Happened to My Rock and Roll", Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
"C'mon, C'mon", The Von Bondies
"Fallen Angel", Elbow
"Movin' On Up", Primal Scream
"You Were the Last High", The Dandy Warhols
"Slow Life", Super Furry Animals
"Jacqueline", Franz Ferdinand
"Debbie", Michael Nyman
"Love Burns", Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

This is a movie about a year long relationship between a British guy and an American girl. He is a climatologist and she is a student, I think. I don't recall it being stated. They meet at the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club show, go home and have sex, there is another show where we watch another live song performance from start to finish and then more sex. There are random narrations about and shots of Antarctica throughout. There are other non-important scenes attempting to develope these characters involving recreational and medicinal drug use. The sex and the live performances are the two constants. In porn, there is sex and usually music.

I find this movie interesting as porn in that, it is pornography of the common masses. The sex that these two have is basically (they do go a bit further than most, I would venture) what every common couple has. It is considerate. It is generous. It is loving. It is passionate. Actual porn never makes a real effort at emotion let alone story. I reiterate, there is basically no story here. But the emotional display of these characters is undeniable.

I am not sure that this emotion is enough to classify this as a movie verses porn. I don't think the director cares what it is classified as and I am not sure why that is important to me either. Overall, I enjoyed it for what it was. It was titilating for the sex and a tiny bit for the relationship. Also, the soundtrack kicked ass.

Fun Twists on Family Portraits

Do you have family portraits taken every year? Hate the hassle of dressing up and bribing the kids into acting happy for the half hour it takes to snap the shot? If you dread the process, or maybe just want something new, check out these great alternatives to the traditional photo portrait.

1. Custom Family Portrait Stamp by Sachi
2. DIY Wooden Doll Family Portrait via Bloesem Kids
3. Personalized Paper Dolls from Jordan Grace Owns
4. Wooden Family Portrait from Star House
5. Family Silhouettes from Blue Cara

An Aerial Tour of Tulip Fields in the Netherlands

From TwistedSifter:

The Netherlands is world-famous for their tulip fields. Every year from March to May the Dutch countryside transforms into a sea of colour. According to Nat Geo, the first tulip was planted in Dutch soil in 1593, and it has become a national symbol ever since.

In the series below you will find incredible photographs taken by Bruxelles5. The photographer snapped these from a small prop plane flown by Claython Pender (who has a great blog post on the journey they went on to get these shots).

All of the photos were taken in the former municipality of Anna Paulowna in North Holland. As of January 1, 2012, Anna Paulowna along with three other municipalities were all merged into a new municipality called Hollands Kroon.

Be sure to head over to Flickr to see the entire 119-picture gallery by Bruxelles5, taken from April 25-26 in 2011.

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Photograph by Bruxelles5 on Flickr

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Photograph by Bruxelles5 on Flickr

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Photograph by Bruxelles5 on Flickr

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Photograph by Bruxelles5 on Flickr

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Photograph by Bruxelles5 on Flickr

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Photograph by Bruxelles5 on Flickr

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Photograph by Bruxelles5 on Flickr

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Photograph by Bruxelles5 on Flickr

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Photograph by Bruxelles5 on Flickr

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Photograph by Bruxelles5 on Flickr

John Keane

http://www.johnkeaneart.com

I met this man's art in Belfast. I think the city was fitting as his subject matter is photo-journalistic in nature. His works are living - teaming with subjects in action. There is a collision of expression and gesture that has a violent effect on the viewer. And me. Few artists have had such a profound affect on me as John Keane.