Stephen Alex Vasquez Weblog

The Movie Directed by Michel Gondry, Leos Carax & Bong Joon-ho

TOKYO!, three of the world’s greatest filmmakers come together for an omnibus triptych examining the nature of one unforgettable city as it’s shaped by the disparate people who live, work (and even run amok!) inside one enormous, constantly evolving, densely populated Japanese megalopolis – the ravishing and inimitable Tokyo.

TOKYO! is a fantasy in three movements that will make you see one of the world’s greatest cities – if not any city – in unpredictable new ways.

I’ve been aggregating all these stressful factors that have kept me from eating, sleeping and other such basic human necessities that I’m depriving my body of for the last two weeks, and in doing so I’ve realized that if I were able to scratch the industry’s surface,  I would probably wither away to bare skin and bones, a la Marc Anthony.

A newly distorted perspective leads me to question the ultimate desire I have nestled for so many years. Am I really cut out for this line of work?

I’ve been cutting away and assembling a rough cut of the film, but why do I always feel there’s room for more? I feel accomplished, but empty. That void that fills itself with an unfulfilling concoction of insecurities, plagues me.

I’ve learned a great deal working on this particular project.  I’ve learned people fly off the handle and are very temperamental. I also learned that sometimes you have to grab the bull by the horns and tackle issues head on, shoot the shit, and dismiss any qualms in regards to offending people’s sensitivities.

I hope people take this film on its own merit and not a re-make. I structured the story in a way that it pays homage to ‘The Breakfast Club’, paying tribute to the well written rom coms of the 80’s. John Hughes is an underrated  filmmaker, and I know I’m not at a level in my career where I should be paying homage to anyone, at least not without establishing my own style, but I’m in a place in my life where I feel that this story is not only relevant, but an appropriate vehicle to express my views on subcultures and sociological outlooks.

I’m in the midst of an uneasy generational shift. The old lions of yesteryear give way to a new batch of filmmakers, ushering in the advantageous digital film era, as the film veterans recede into the distance. I am left in the middle, in a tussle with the rest.

“A spider conducts operations that resemble those of a weaver, and a bee puts to shame many an architect in the construction of her cells. But what distinguishes the worst architect from the best of bees is this, that the architect raises his structure in imagination before he erects it in reality.” – Karl Marx

If this is a true blue meme then… all I can say is that it’s going to be one awkward staff holiday party this year at MSNBC.

This title will be released on November 25, 2008

YES!!! FUCKIN’ A! Years in deadpan anticipation.

Pre-order this shlore and add more wads to Anderson’s pocket.
Amazon Pre-order
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Feeling this video.Via [Hipster Runoff]

Notorious

The first full length trailer for Notorious has been released by Apple.

In just a few short years, The Notorious B.I.G. rose from the streets of Brooklyn to become one of the most influential hip hop artists of all time. B.I.G. was a gifted storyteller; his narratives about violent life on the streets were told with a gritty, objective realism that won him enormous respect and credibility. His stories were universal and gave a voice to his generation.

So what’s the point of this show? Are we trying to seamlessly slip in Hipster innuendos and amass an army of counter cultural ALT Hipsters? “Yo Gabba Gabba”, a show created by two Hipster’s in their thirties, intentionally targeting this multimedia phenomenon, to not only preschoolers, but their respective hipster parents, siblings, lower east side inhabitants, left wing celebrity guests, and anyone that believes it’s sacrilege to shop anywhere else other than Urban Outfitters and American Apparel.

Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE the show… I mean, any kiddie show that features the Ting Tings and Cut Copy is definitely put on a pedestal. I could have sworn I saw Wes Anderson in one of the episodes – It doesn’t get any more hipster oriented than that.

Is it worth your child’s time?  Well, for starters it has an awesome electro, hip-hop soundtrack that only masterfully adds to the campy premise of the show. Do you want your kid to be self-reliant, self-righteous, pretentious, trendy, non-complacent, and a non conforming beast to a conservative society? If you do, then by all means tune in.

Read this articles below to hear what others have to say
daddy types
San Francisco Chronicle
The Daily Clog
Rice Daddy
New York Times on Gabba Gabba Phenom