The Middle of Central Park

Movie Update

Middle of Nowhere (dir. Ava DuVernay) ****1/2

Ava DuVernay's Sundance-winning film (she won Best Director) is totally remarkable in its simplicity.  The premise, a young woman does her best to support her husband during his time in prison, feels new enough but what really distinguishes DuVernay's work is her delicate approach to the storytelling.  Sure, the film is beautiful to look at - sensitively photographed and framed (you can pick this up in the trailer) - but it is the exquisite performances, well-placed moments and genuine honesty that make this a must-see movie.  Emayatzy Corinealdi is, simply put, a revelation.  Her Ruby is totally magnetic on screen.  I hope Australian audiences get a chance to experience this true gem one day.

The Central Park Five (dir. Ken Burns) ****1/2

In 1989, 5 young kids from Harlem were unfairly trialed and, ultimately, convicted for a crime which they did not commit.  That late-night gang incident, huge in the New York media at the time, involved a woman jogger in Central Park being brutally assaulted.  You can read more about it here:  Central Park Jogger case.  Ken Burns' film is compelling for two reasons - 1, the subject matter is fascinating and 2, the five involved give such open and honest recollections of their experience.  Their survival stories are truly admirable despite, sadly, the fact that their youths were cut so unfairly short at the hands of just a few poorly-sighted, highly-visible individuals.  There is a strong contemporary message in that, I think.  This is a superb documentary and, actually, one of the best films of the year.  Don't miss it.

Central Park at Dusk

In retrospect, it seems a bit macabre to have spent so much time in Central Park today, but it really is a tip-top place for an afternoon stroll.  I did come a bit too close to a squirrel (definitely plan not to make that mistake again) but I won't go into that.  Let me just say that squirrels are fast and they can jump/leap in a super-human, Marvel-Action-Hero kinda way.  Here is a photo of said squirrel which, on Facebook, has been received - as Mary Poppins herself would say - "in the most delightful way"; however, I encourage you to take a much closer look and peer into the sheer evil of the moment.  Know that while posing for this photograph (and I did, regrettably, say thank you), Squirrel is cleverly devising a plan that involves turning and leaping towards me, landing merely centimeters from my face with its sharp claws and vile, disease-ridden mouth.

Evil Squirrel.  So evil.

You know what the whole scenario reminds me of?  This:

Cute vs. Evil or, as I now refer to it, 'Life'.

In this picture, I am on the left and Squirrel is on the right.

Also, now that my downloading of the Instagram app has given me the social right to announce myself as one of the great leading visual artists of my time, I offer you a collection, an inspiring pastiche if you will, of photographs from Central Park at dusk.  I would have liked to have collected a few shots from a little higher up, but there were too many squirrels in the trees and, to be honest, I was still somewhat shaken from the earlier zoological incident which we now don't mention.

Dear Buskers,

Finally, and I know this is a bit taboo, I have to say that the quality of busking is down a bit this year.  To be perfectly blunt, I'm not impressed.  Now, I am not the greatest saxophone player in the world but give me a Rico 1.5 reed and a Yamaha student model Alto (or a Tenor if, miraculously, all of the Altos have been taken home in preparation for band/lessons the next day - unlikely) and I will happily bash out the opening melody of The Simpsons like there's no tomorrow.  That does not mean I would take it to the streets.  Other than over-excited Year 4 students who are busting to have a go at it themselves, who would really want to hear that?

Some things I forgot to mention to various buskers today (if you see them, please pass it on for me):

1.  Get a harder reed.  You are blowing so flat on that Soprano Sax it makes me want to buy you a bicycle pump.

2.  Do some practice.  It's not cool to figure out the notes to O Come, All Ye Faithful on the spot.  Please don't give up on the melody because it's too hard and switch to the descant instead.  Generally, it is more difficult to figure out by ear, as you proved to me today.  Unpleasant.

3.  You can't play the chords to Jingle Bells on your guitar and then sing Silent Night over the top of it.  Firstly, Jingle Bells is in 4/4 time and Silent Night is in 3/4 time and, well, what's the point of explaining this further. Basically, and I know this is stating the obvious (but it needs to be said), the chords are different.  Think about it.

4.  Steel Drums are not really built to play Sleigh Ride.  Nice try, though - I particularly enjoyed the bit where your midi backing changed key, so you just stopped.

Now that I've put that out there, I have to admit to hearing a particularly good boy/girl/man/woman (he/she had long hair and they were accompanying Mr Squirrel and his hijinx so my mind was elsewhere) playing some good Tenor Sax stuff on the Mall in Central Park today.

Social injustice everywhere.