≈seapunk☼retrospective≈

created an ongoing anthology of seapunk and seapunk-related music videos

trailer: 'cloud atlas'

your friend posts a link to a video highlighting the fact that 'lana wachowski', previously 'larry wachowski' has 'come out' as transgender

you watch the video because it seems obvious it is a press release of some kind

you watch the wachowski siblings and tom tykwer do a 'cheesy', 'kickstarter-wave' promotional group-monologue

you think, 'oh holy shit i want to see this movie, why is everyone just saying 'omg look he is a woman now'?'

you google search the 'really really really really really long trailer'

you immediately think, 'oh shit this is what i thought 'tree of life' was going to be and wasn't'

internet cinema zeitgeist phenomenon coverage: sebastian sommer interviews megan boyle, joe swanberg

interview: beach sloth

the first person to review the movie 'DEAD MIDGETS', even prior to its release, was a mysterious internet personality and anonymous blogger/media reviewer by the name of beach sloth.

i recently had the pleasure of meeting beach sloth in real life and discussing with this super endearing anonybro and my new internet friend, for literally hours, interesting topics ranging from the music of steely dan and donald fagan to the merits of strip clubs [apparently there aren't many] all the way to discussing such abstract things as the dynamo behind that wild superorganism/metaman that is new york effing city.

beach sloth has, for as long as i can remember, been the most cutting edge review/summary blog, covering internet events, alt lit shitstorms, and music releases with more prolificacy and enthusiasm than any other blog of this type.

this past weekend, we traded emails asking each other silly questions. beach sloth posted my responses here, and below are beach sloth's response to mine:

romantic rhetoric: is there a specific species of sloth you 'gravitate' towards? a certain region-oriented sloth-type?

beach sloth: I like the Costa Rican sloths the best. They have their own orphanage. Since there is a great deal of my family tree that is not blood-related (a lot of adopted kids in my family) it warms my sloth-filled heart.

rorhet: what was your favorite band between the following timespans/ages: 0 - 10, 11 - 16, 17 - 18, college, and pick one band/sound project, post-college - present that you have consistently enjoyed

beaslo: Feel this question could be used to accurately gauge my age. Not sure if that’s possible though. I have weird taste in music.

0-10: Tchaikovsky/random house music I heard on ‘Solid State with Liquid Todd’ on K-Rock

11-16: Dat Politics

17-18: Flying Saucer Attack

College: Mouse on Mars/anything I played on my old radio show

Post-College:  Low

Note these are not definitive. I’m a music nerd so creating any ‘standard’ list like this is very difficult. These bands are subject to change.

rr: what are your thoughts about 'mainstream speculation' that alt-lit writers might just be autistic people who document their lives through auto-biographical fiction?

bs: Many of the alt-lit writers I’ve met seem better adjusted than my non alt-lit friends. Realistic alt lit people know exactly what they want to do and how to do it. It’s a diverse group of people completely devoted to their craft and those who do it more as a ‘passion project’ while still working full time. I’m definitely in the latter category.

There’s probably some truth to the speculation for some writers but they are definitely in the minority and not the majority.

rr: what is your favorite region of the world you have visited? give three reasons why it is 'your favorite'

bs: Malaysia is my favorite place. I haven’t been everywhere yet, so there might be places I’d like even more. There’s one distinct memory I have, of walking on the northern coast of Borneo that I will probably never forget. There were all these little crabs on the beach making geometric patterns in the sand. Part of me wanted to steal one, bring it to New York, and be the agent of this conceptual crab artist. I never did it though. Laws exist prohibiting the smuggling of wildlife. Still though, I think I want to see those crabs again at least one more time in my life.

I only just realized you wanted three reasons. The other reason was how nice it was. Malaysia is basically the nicest place ever. When I was there I kept on thinking to myself ‘I’m an asshole compared to these people’. How do people even become so nice?

Third reason is the sun. There’s nothing but sun there. I like sunny places by the beach. That’s pretty much the best thing ever.

rr: your overall positive disposition confuses me somewhat. does your interest in 'hopefulness' and 'positivity' derive from a discernible part of your upbringing/personality/life experience? if so, 'where', and how does that affect your qualitative perception of what you read/watch/listen to?

bs: I definitely get ‘down in the dumps’. Everybody gets depressed. I’m no exception. When I write I feel happy so the posts reflect my enthusiasm. Unlike a large number of alt lit writers, I tend to write out of happiness rather than a blank emptiness.

Knowing ‘Gravity’s Rainbow’ even exists makes me happy. I remember reading it and thinking ‘holy shit you’re allowed to write this why’. It seemed really liberating to write in such a dense, crazed fashion. Hunter S. Thompson’s work had a similar influence on me too. Both writers sort of embody crazed, frantic, yet oddly positive stance on the present and future.

I’m interested in weird things, anything that shows immense amounts of time, effort, and dedication naturally appeal to me. That’s why I like alt lit. Alt lit is done out of pure love. I don’t think anybody goes into it thinking ‘I’m going to make so much money from this’. Usually they have a passion for it.

My upbringing was not remotely unusual. I had an average childhood. Years later my parents have no idea how I got interested in all these weird artists, bands, and writers. They were supportive even though they didn’t quite understand it.

rr: do you typically buy movie tickets online or at the theater kiosk? if the former, what website do you use [fandango,movieticketsonline.com, moviefone]?

bs: ‘Jesus’ what is this insane question. I feel like this is ‘paid advertising’ for various movie ticket companies. Please tag all these companies in your post though. I want you to get paid.

I actually rarely (if ever) go to the movies. Normally I buy the tickets there. Unfortunately I’m not really much of a movie person (or sloth).

rr: what are three non-sloth mammals that seem 'intriguing' to you due to some 'bizarre' biological quality they have? what do you like/dislike about these mammals? what do you perceive their 'general personality types' might be based on what you know about them?

bs: I like Elephants because they are really smart and unusually fast (for a giant creature).

Horses seems interesting to me. I wonder who decided they were okay for riding.

Platypuses are bizarre in general. I don’t even know where to begin with this one.

Side note: most of the animals I really enjoy (sloths aside) are generally aquatic animals or insects. It was hard finding mammals I like.  

rr: what is the 'secret' to your prolificacy? how do you manage to publish an average 50 posts-per-month? is there a secret league of sloths working somewhere out of indonesia/thailand? do you outsource your content similar to how some speculate HRO does?

bs: HRO outsources like crazy. If you read HRO’s post carefully, you’ll notice it isn’t even in English, it’s some sort of internationally recognized Hipster flarf. Carles spent years on the ‘Hipster-Flarf’ algorithm so I can’t fault the guy.

I’m really organized about writing. I don’t find it overwhelming. My posts reflect my current mood. Nor do I treat writing as a way of ‘making friends’ or ‘being cool’. I write out of happiness, out of a desire to improve. Every post is an attempt to be just a little bit better. Besides, I usually have a pretty good idea about what I’m going to write about, along with the number of posts I’m going to do for that day.

rr: any funny videos you found online recently?

bs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCYEkvmk2Mw

Does this count as funny? I think it is a really charming, sort of sweet video.

rr: without re-watching the movie, what was your favorite scene in 'DEAD MIDGETS'? why? (sorry about being narcissistic here)

bs: Seriously you don’t want me to re-watch the movie? Whatever bro, I’m totally doing that. It’s a good movie.

I like the repetition part of ‘It’s alright’ where she hugs him. For some reason that feels really comforting to me. There’s something about repetition done right that I enjoy. Most of ‘Dead Midgets’ doesn’t seem that repetitive so maybe that’s why I’m so attracted to that part.

The second one would be when the artist is giving the journalist a tough time. That part is really funny to me. I could see my friends saying that kind of stuff to a journalist.

-------
beach sloth blogs, tweets, and facebooks

movie livetweet: 'hunger games' [minimal spoiler alert]

on march 28th, buttercup mcgillicuddy 'livetweeted' his thoughts while watching the new movie, 'hunger games'. he had not read any reviews, synopses, excerpts from the book, or talked to anyone about specific aspects of the plot of the movie prior to seeing it. he had watched the trailer 1 or 2 times. here is what he tweeted, unedited:

2:17 PM — live tweeting 'hunger games' for the next ~2hrs #hungerlames #romanticrhetoric

2:22 PM — trailers: 'gi joe' with d. johnson and b. willis, 'spider-man', tim burton vampire movie, 'mr. mom' ripoff, two kristen stewart movies

2:24 PM — is this about the holocaust? little sister is affecting anne frank

2:26 PM — note: i don't know anything about the books/setting/plot #hungerlames

2:28 PM — okay. it's the future. it's john waters' version of the future

2:31 PM — was really hoping they showed the lead naked in bath scene. fucking PG movies/YA fiction #hungerlames

2:35 PM — this british broad in victorian dress is hot. and is that d. sutherland's voice #hungerlames #livetweeting

2:36 PM — oh, she's not british, she's just a bitch #hungerlames

2:39 PM — this is dumb [so far] #hungerlames

2:40 PM — need to pee

2:47 PM — oh, drunk w. harrelson, 'embrace the probability of your eminent death,' seems likely that will be my favorite line #hungerlames

2:51 PM — just saw benedict cumberbatch with yellow hair #hungerlames

2:52 PM — lenny kravitz as fashion advisor, big mistake. #johnwatersfuture #hungerlames

2:54 PM — oh hey president donny #hungerlames

2:56 PM — just 'got the chills,' really unsure why

2:57 PM — whoa, the lead's waist to hip ratio seems digitally enhanced #notempoweringladies #hungerlames

3:08 PM — i knew the william tell thing was coming before the scene started #hungerlames

3:14 PM — oh, that is actually lenny kravitz. jesus christ #hungerlames

3:17 PM — this film seems horribly sexually repressed. this pacing is just begging for a sex scene. dress on fire is no substitute #hungerlames

3:21 PM — she just looked longingly at the doomed boy, and he's confessing his love publicly, this is so fucked #hungerlames

3:24 PM — what the fuck is this movie about? #hungerlames

3:27 PM — my brother seems to think i could get in trouble for tweeting in a theater. fuck the system #hungerlames

3:30 PM — lenny kravitz is being creepy and i just fantasized about his IRL daughter a little which makes me creepy a little too i guess #hungerlames

3:32 PM — not enough people dying in this scene. like, five more would make it 'worth my time' #hungerlames

3:34 PM — 240-338-6835 if you've been trying tm @ me

3:36 PM — lol, 'district nine' #hungerlames

3:38 PM — just farted #hungerlames

3:48 PM — serene music, gushy noises, women moaning, dagger throwing #sexuallyrepressedmovies #hungerlames

3:49 PM — lol, acid wasps #hungerlames

3:50 PM — l-s-bees #hungerlames

3:53 PM — oh hey magical negros!!! #hungerlames

3:55 PM — what else is this girl in? the little one

3:59 PM — perceived self biting thumbnail during mine scene #hungerlames

4:03 PM — lol, death toll seems pretty good. ppl can stop dying now #hungerlames #livetweeting 

4:06 PM — lol, mourning rituals. it's whatever rue's just a black anyway. lol, district 11, lol #hungerlames #superlame

4:10 PM — is this a metaphor or a simile? #hungerlames

4:14 PM — fuck yeah sex scene! lol, j/k #hungerlames

4:18 PM — cat fight. deus ex magical negro. need to pee again #hungerlames

4:19 PM — oh shit, an actual sex scene! lol, j/k #hungerlames

4:24 PM — fuck, i hate fantasy. now it's a fantasy movie all of a sudden? getting pretty hungry #hungerlames

4:26 PM — rooting for kado #hungerlames #livetweethng

4:27 PM — damnit #hungerlames

4:33 PM — going to miss john waters' future. no plans to see the sequel(s) #hungerlames  

4:35 PM — crushing hard on donny sutherland after all that #hungerlames #livetweeting 

4:36 PM — cato** just saw in the credits #hungerlames 

4:58 PM — this livetweet has been brought to you by romantic rhetoric @rorhetblog #hungerlames

buttercup mcgillicuddy:
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trailer: 'moonrise kingdom'

trailer: 'on the road'

critical generic analysis: romantic comedy

romance

you think that 'love'—much like 'quantum physics', 'spirituality', 'the internet' and, to some degree, 'gravity'—is a memetic coalescence invented by humans to explain something that is currently incomprehensibly abstract, and is persistently referenced to as a single conglomerate to falsely concretize—as an abstraction-trumping security mechanism—an intuitive phenomenon that may or may not exist as humanity understands or experiences it and will change as humanity better communicates mutual subjective experiences and also as scientific studies better explain the phenomenon in more concrete terms

you feel uncomfortable that 'love' is a defining aspect of human interconnectivity, because of its nature as a presumed universal and humanity's linguistic inability to define it, despite its ubiquitousness, and think that the memetic transference of the concept may have developed into a highly flawed rhetorical device, confusing and inaccurately assigning an 'umbrella term' to a complex series of emotional responses and 'desires' that might be better communicated through more nuanced differentiation

but you perceive that 'love' is 'marketable' as a primary theme in various 'artistic media', specifically movies, and that, based on your interest in movies, love 'requires' conceptual dissection

however you find the trend of foregoing all rational story arcs when culminating romantic experiences occur and the resulting sense of 'transcendent euphoria' at the end of movies ungratifying

you feel that this sudden breakdown of rationale is jarring, and 'fucks' the movie's 'suspension of disbelief', but because [most romantic comedies] are generically prescribed the title 'romantic comedies', you think maybe this designation is a device that 'justifies' the dissolution of the story's coherence as long as intense, emotional sequences are periodically present between the middle and end portions of the movie


comedy

you think—based on your preconceived ideas about death, suffering, and existential despair—that life has an inherently, consistently bleak quality that is somewhat alleviated by communication that results in intentional paradoxes

you think that the bleakness-decreasing human instinct considered 'humor' seems to be the simplest response and most difficult to induced subtly in order to prolong combat against bleakness

your are an advocate for combatting bleakness

comedy exists, inherently, you think, in everything, if juxtaposed against an appropriately absurd idea

the very mention of 'love', for instance, at all, ever


romantic comedy

you perceive that the generic concept of a 'romantic comedy' is basically a title given to a movie that's primary focus is to embody the concept of 'romance' by narrating a two-plus interpersonal and possibly sexual relationship and approach it with a certain optimism that will allow the movie to conclude with a sense of euphoric, perhaps existentially impossible 'success' in the context of either a romantic pursuit or a romantic trial

however the nature of relationships, you believe, is fluid and ephemeral, perhaps unknowable, so the creative choice to end a story, regardless of the theme, by indiscriminately leading to the 'happy ending', because [in context] it 'needs' to end that way (happily ever after...), is inherently disingenuous and missing the nuance necessary be considered a 'reflection of the human experience'.

therefore you relegate 'romantic comedy' to a non-art status, in your mind, and will not address the concept or genre again

internet cinema zeitgeist phenomenon coverage: sebastian sommer interviews molly soda

molly soda
sebastian sommer

movie review: 'the future'

miranda july directs
herself
and hamish linklater



you arrive home after living abroad for five months

your brother asks if you've seen 'the future'?

'the movie? by miranda july?' you ask

'yeah,' says your brother

'no, but i've been wanting to'

'it's really weird'

'yeah, she's crazy'

'i got it on redbox, it's in the DVD player'

you go downstairs to the den and wrap yourself in a blanket and use the remote to turn on the DVD player

during the movie you try to discern what the title of the film 'means' or is referring to,

then you remember the title of miranda july's last movie was 'me and you and everyone we know' and vaguely remember a character saying 'me and you and everyone we know' or something like that during the movie

you expect this to happen in 'the future'

after the movie you discuss the themes with your brother

he thinks that the injured cat, the 'soul of the movie' is the worst thing about it

you think about an interview with miranda july in which she admits to never having seen 'lolcats' and think this may have informed, in a way, the movie's overall 'non-self-awareness'

you 'go mad' and contemplate stopping time stopping time stopping time stopping time stopping time stopping time stopping time stopping time stopping time stopping time stopping time stopping time stopping time stopping time stopping time stopping time stopping time stopping time stopping time stopping time stopping time stopping time stopping time stopping time stopping time stopping time stopping time stopping time stopping time stopping time stopping time stopping time stopping time stopping time stopping time stopping time stopping time stopping time stopping time stopping