Belonging to an easy-access-to-all generation, there's little reason anymore to purchase your own copies of films when you can collect all your favorite movies on a handy list on your Netflix account and they are as good as yours -- fabulous instant gratification. Once in a while, however, there are films that I just want to indulge in, possess, use its packaging art as an item to display in my living room's shelves, and keep as a souvenir from an artist/film maker whose stylistics and intellect I respect. With that said, I own Rushmore, and I own The Royal Tenenbaums too (although I think I overindulged in both very quickly). I guess revering Anderson's talents is old news. But I couldn't go without mentioning him in my blog, and finding this NYT video review presented the right opportunity...
Michael C. McMillen is a mixed-media artist based in Santa Monica, California, whose installations and sculptures made out of recyclable materials, or as he calls them "the cast-offs of our material society," play around the themes of time, change, and illusion as a means to create what he refers to as "visual spiritual poetry." It's very interesting work with a magic of its own. The two friends I've brought with me to view his work have referred to his pieces as post-apocalyptic. I see it more as a beautiful display of decay. They had a similar eerie effect on me as when I visited a ghost town of the Gold Rush era, here in California, for the first time. Like a glimpse at the ancient ruins of the future. To fully appreciate his installations you really must experience them. You can view his work in person at an upcoming exhibit at the Oakland Museum of California from April 16, 2011 to August 14, 2011, entitled Train of Thought .