Looking so spontaneous and chaotic, yet the synchronization with the music shows that its planned and choreographed down to the finest detail! Its amazing how she pulls off the timing and perfection with such a fluid and fleeting media! Kseniya Simonova is a sand animator from Ukraine who won “Ukraine’s Got Talent” 2009 for this portrayal of USSR’s Great Patriotic War against the Third Reich in World War II. Majestic and magnificent!
I think I’ve got the black board fever! What do you think? Because lately everywhere I look and everything I see, I start to imagine it in black with white chalk writings on! My world is slowly but surely turning black and white as I am constantly consumed by thoughts of turning my entire household into blackboards!lol
After his successful performance together with Golshifteh Farahani and in association with filmmaker Babak Payami in Venice, around the time and place of the 66th Venice International Film Festival, Mohsen Namjoo is to release his brand new album “Aakh” in early October. The album is his third official release and his second offering outside Iran. The first exile album which was released and sold on Namjoo’s official website was “Jabre Joghraafiaa“.
If you happened to enjoy my description and recommendation of “Elegy” then I have a new “realistically romantic” gem for you. The movie “Two Lovers” is as the title suggests a story about a love triangle connecting three individuals with interesting characters. In particular the complex male character played perfectly by Joaquin Phoenix, one of the most realistically contradictory characters that I’ve ever seen in a movie. The movie is also supposed to be Joaquin Phoenix’s last cinematic performance! He has apparently decided to go a …rapper! A full-fledged professional one. The guy is one of my favorite actors, who delivers a role even when he isn’t in top shape, so I hope that its just a phase he is going through. Anyways, do check out “Two Lovers” if you’re into unconventional love stories with a character depth.
The Belgian CLUB act Lasgo has just released a new album featuring a new vocalist! The Kim Wilde sound-alike Evi has left the band and been replaced by Jelle who does a decent job to fill her rather large shoes. Evi was namely synonym with Lasgo! Her voice sat a signature to the otherwise generic dance fares and made them recognizable as Lasgo’s whenever heard! Jelle voice does have a resemblance to Evi’s and she manages to deliver Lasgo’s flavor satisfactory. “Smile” is a rather solid third album by the Belgian trio.
I’ve written about photographer Scott Schuman and his influential blog “The Sartorialist” before. Now a book by the same name has been published, gathering a selection of the photographies featured on his blog.
Scott’s photos reflect the mood and movement of his random real-life people on the streets of the world’s metropoles. Regardless of your interest in photography or fashion this is a rich and priceworthy collection, to own or to give away as gift!
I had been anticipating Pedro Almodóvar and Penélope Cruz’s new venture “Broken Embraces”, especially since I happened to love their previous work “Volver”! Which in my opinion delivered a more mature and balanced Almodóvar. But after having seen his latest opus I’m truly disappointed as Almodóvar has gradually gone from overwhelming to underwhelming!
“Broken Embraces” does start off rather interesting, however a dull and unengaging back-story takes it all away. This is really pale for any director, let alone Almodóvar! All the twists are such clichés and not even of the best kind! You never start to feel for the characters in the movie despite it being called “Broken Embraces” and just screams for empathy! This is in my opinion Almodóvar’s weakest yet and perhaps also an end to a professional love affair!
The October issue of the DanceSpirit magazine features Iranian Ida Saki as cover girl! Ida is a talented young lady who has been awarded for her dance. Check out her performance to the theme of the Schindler’s List (watch)!
After massive criticism from scholars of the academies for the negligence regarding the nation’s cultural inheritance and future investments, the Iranian government has announced that there will be more focus on children’s music in future. Several festivals are already planned, along with different musical projects to inspire and showcase the youngest talents in the country.
The lovely Sarah Shahi (1, 2) recently gave birth to a cute little son and we couldn’t be happier for her. However in the process of pregnancy her …frame seems to have gone bigger! Much, much bigger as a matter of fact! And having a thing for …frames, especially big and bold …frames, I can only bow before the wonders and splendor of mother nature!
According to FarsNews the upcoming motion-picture based on Reza Sadeghi’s life will feature three concerts and a new music video. Most likely there will also be new material recorded for this project according to sources, however its not final yet since his album is still being postponed. The movie is said to be called “Bikhodaahaafezi” and star Sadeghi as himself.
Its the television season and the shows and series kick off one after the other! Another one that has just premiered its second season is Fringe, which proved itself solid all the way through season one. If you haven’t watched it get yourself the DVD or the Blu-ray with a cool lenticular cover.
“It wouldn’t be SHOWTIME without a yearly dose of CALIFORNICATION” says the show’s producer Greenblatt. “This unapologetic show, about a group of characters led by the inimitable David Duchovny, has quickly established itself as one of our signature comedy series. Beneath its veneer of debauchery, however, is a complex take on love and adult relationships that surprisingly turns poetic and romantic just when you least expect it.” And I couldn’t agree more! My annual reunions with the like-minded Hank Moody is one I really look forward to each year. And I’m loving the poster and direction for the new season, hehe!
The entire Beatles back-catalogue has been remastered and is now available both in mono (like the originals) and stereo! This is something the fans have dreamt about for a long time. I’m not a Beatles fan, however this is an essential source of reference for any music collector out there. Since this band and their music have been and still are pivotal for much of the musical creations and productions. Getting this collection is like getting an encyclopedia, you never know when you’re gonna use it but you must have it just in case! The beautifully designed white box-set displayed above comes in mono and features 13 CDs (all miniature LP replicas with original cover art), while the big black beauty beneath comes in stereo and includes 16 CDs and even one DVD. Unlike what you might think its the set above that costs more and not the bigger one! It’s a shame that they didn’t go all the way and transfered the clips to Blu-ray for the maximum experience, even though arguably those old footages wouldn’t have been served better with a HD treatment.
I’m always picking up working space and decoration ideas here and there and recently this black wall caught my attention. Just lay a few panels of black paint on your wall and use the area as a black board for ideas! It’s just paint so you can always paint over when bored with it! Cool and clever!
In case you have somehow managed to miss the San Fransisco Chronicle’s POP music critic Aidin Vaziri’s blog then here is your chance to catch up. Aidin discusses and reviews the Western industry and artists and has truly made a name through his rather provocative approach and harsh tone! He steers thing up and provokes both artists and fans through his writings. He is without a doubt a very knowledgeable person when it comes to the field in question and it comes clearly through that his knowledge comes from a personal passion and years of observing the POP music scene. Something which I relate to very well. However I’m not sure if I agree with most of his comments and assessments, never mind the attitude! Nonetheless its always refreshing to see that that are Iranians out there who do write and blog about the entertainment industry and popular culture (*cough*cough*). Google his name for more articles by and more interestingly about him, but don’t expect to see pics of him! He appears to be just as camera-shy as yours-truly!loool hehe
If you are a fan of art-history or period pieces/costume dramas then I recommend you the latest BBC series “Desperate Romantics”. Its a fictive and romanticized account of the lives of the artists of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.
A romanticist movement that aimed to break academic ideals in order to go back to the original ideals of nature. Another influential school in my life and art. The six-episode mini-series is just as much comedy as it is drama, for better and worse!
A good friend and a member of the Western music industry told me that the first time she was about to contact me she hesitated, feared an akhmoo and grumpy guy answering the phone! All because she had seen one of my pics here and apparently I had my trademark serious face on!lol So I thought posting a pic of myself smiling so that you wouldn’t think that I’m the grumpiest blogger in the whole world! The truth is that I’m not grumpy at all. Well … at least not all the time! You do see me smile, if you manage to catch me at the right five minutes of the day that is!lol Or when fate has just crossed my daily path with a lovely booty passing by! Now that, God bless ‘em, always puts a smile on my grateful grumpy face! ALWAYS!
Natalie Imbruglia is back, this time with a controversial little video! I am not sure that someone like me would agree with its controversiality but it involves some nudity or better said naked “skin” (since nudity is by definition exposed nipples and private parts)! But I like it. Its Metropolitan chic with a twist of Arthouse sensualism, the artsy-sexy kind that I personally love to see in movies as well as music videos. And most important of all, it fits and enhances the song and its theme!
The sound has gone through a bit of a change with an euro-electro overtone, unlike her previous singer/songwriter songs. It sounds very 90’s Kylie I must say, but still fresh! Since these things go in trend loops and right now this one is renewing its expiration date. She walks a fine risky line with this blend of image and style, but she pulls it (and takes it) off elegantly. I mean who can resist a girl in a black bodyhugging turtleneck?! Or out of it, for that matter!
According to the officials there will be several extra awards handed out at this year’s Fajr music festival. One is to celebrate the 1000th year of the great national poet Ferdousi’s “Shahnameh” and will go to the best work dedicated to the themes of the epic magnum opus. Another is the special Bijan Taraghi award that will go to the best lyricist of the year.
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