documentaries

If you know me at all, you know that I love film, but lately I just can't seem to get enough of documentaries. Listed are some notable great (and generally understated) documentaries I've seen lately, which doubles as a limited "favorite documentaries of all time" list, in no particular order.

1. Spellbound (2002) - an unprecedentedly riveting movie about a diverse bunch of kids participating in the national spelling bee championship in the '90s (when spelling bees were a really big deal). I wouldn't recommend this if you have a heart condition because the success and failure of these eight wunderkinds will skyrocket your anxiety.

2. Deliver Us from Evil (2006) - a look into the life of pedophile priest Oliver O'Grady, his victims, and the culture of pedophilia within the clergy, centering around disturbingly nonchalant interviews with O'Grady about his past crimes. Basically, it's a documentary about the devil in human form.

3. The Cove (2009) - a call to action to cease dolphin slaughter in a mysterious cove in Japan. Intense, beautiful, enlightening, and horrific all at once and probably my favorite documentary ever.

4. Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011) - a stunning documentary about a humble yet renowned restaurant in a basement in Japan, and the master who therein redefined the art of sushi. If you don't already love raw fish, chances are that you will after watching this movie.

5. Catfish (2010) - a super relevant account of an online relationship gone astray in the early days of social networking. Worlds better than the MTV show by the same name.

6. Marina Abramovic: The Artist is Present (2012) - an emotional and inspirational film about performance artist Marina Abramovic and the culmination of her retrospective and most recent piece, The Artist is Present. I don't cry a lot during movies but I'll totally admit to blubbering at the sight of Marina and Ulay's reunion.

suburbia

I'm heading back to my blooming and strangely idyllic home town in Northern California tomorrow morning. It's funny what being a west-to-east-coast transplant has done to me - especially moving, for college, from arguably the most picturesque suburban neighborhood in existence to one of the most dangerous and povertous cities in the country, where fluctuating weather actually exists and 75 degrees is not to be expected year round. This change has really made me embrace the idea of suburbia, despite the monotony it may represent to some. I'm fortunate to come from a suburb that actually boasts a variety of interesting architecture and landscaping, but the repetitive nature of suburbia has always captivated me as well, especially exaggerated neighborhoods like those in Tim Burton's Edward Scissorhands or the "little boxes" in Jenji Kohan's Weeds.





When I returned home a few months ago I made sure to take a some snapshots of my neighborhood transitioning into the winter:





I can only imagine what it looks like now that Spring is in full bloom. I guess there's always room to romanticize things, but living in Baltimore for six months has really brought out my love of suburbia - its perfectionist beauty, serenity, and I suppose the nostalgia that I associate with it. I can't wait to immerse myself back in my home and the coast where the weather plays no pivotal part in how I dress in the morning.