Blood Opens In Theaters
Jul 11, 2009    posted by: Jason Wong

With the advent of films and television shows like Twilight and True Blood, it seems that Hollywood is going wild for the Bram Stroker archetype.  This of course is not a worldwide phenomenon, but it seems that production houses are already pre-planning for an all out Fall season of vampire related media.  Japan's notable anime, Hiroyuki Kitakubo's "Blood: The Last Vampire" in 2009 was made into a live-action film directed by Chris Nahona.  Now, I'm skeptical on anything animated-turned-live-action, the recent release of Dragonball titled, "Dragonball Evolution" is justification enough.  "Blood: The Last Vampire" (the anime) was pretty entertaining in itself, but this recent adaptation doesn't look like it is going to fair very well in the American market.  Regardless of whether or not the Nahona's "Blood: The Last Vampire" is a success or a failure, I don't think we will be seeing the last of the anime live-action remakes and certainly not vampire related films. 

Claire Morgan
Jul 11, 2009    posted by: Jason Wong

I don't know how many of you have seen the work of Claire Morgan, but her art is an incredible and ambitious feat.  She is an installation artist who specializes in what I believe is fishing wire, rigging planes and cubes from bones, rotten meat, strawberries and gnats.  Often times she exhibits taxidermy animals which makes me want to draw a comparison with Cai Guo Qiang's 99 wolves crashing into a plexi-glass wall titled, "Head On"; but this relation seems all too literal and are outweighed by conceptual differences.  Where Qiang's installations are more humorous and social, Claire Morgan's are far more contemplative, like fleeting figments of mortality.  Based in London, who knows when we across the pond will ever get a chance to see her work.  Someday I suppose, Someday.

 

 

http://www.claire-morgan.co.uk/

 

Kary Sit: “Distaste”
Jul 10, 2009    posted by: b

www.wannathrowupwheniseeyou.com

www.wannapukewhenithinkofyou.com

Say hello to Kary Sit, one of the rare oddities of the universe. One might ask, “is she on medication or does that come naturally?” A Macau-born Portugese-Chinese, raised in Hong Kong, Toronto, New York, Seoul, and Los Angeles, she is the very definition of the internationally confused - and it surfaces in her work. Meet and greet Kary Sit at Gallery Nucleus on July 21, 2009, featuring the “Distaste” Project - and she'll let you in on what's giving her a nasty taste in her mouth. Throw up some love.

 

Don’t forget to bring what makes you wanna throw up, we’ll have something for the pain.

 

Deastro - Moondagger
Jul 09, 2009    posted by: Jason Wong

For all of you who know [ adult swim ]'s albums particularly the hauntingly raw electronic compilation, Ghostly Swim, then you obviously have heard Deastro.  Deastro's song, "Light Powered" was a knock out above a lot of the tracks on the mix.  Still, if your hoping for that same formula of song, well, you're going to be solely disappointed.  See, this album does not contain that single, in fact it's much more instrumental with singing.  With that being said, the album is still pretty catchy and progressive.  Even though Deastro's full length albums contain vocals, I don't necessarily think that they take away from the complexity of many of the songs.  You be the judge and give it a listen.  Oh, and also, the design and album art for a lot of Deastro's albums are also very interesting and worth taking a look at if you get the chance.

Emilie Simon
Jul 08, 2009    posted by: Jason Wong

Currently living in New York, Emilie Simon is a French electronic artist who has strove to make avant-garde music echoing the work of Bjork.  Yet what sets Simon apart from the Icelandic singer is that Simon is also a music producer, having worked on music from the film, "March of the Penguins".  Her anticipated new album due out in September promises to be her most ambitious album to date, employing dark melodic sounds and unconventional precussions. 

http://www.myspace.com/emiliesimonmusic