 What is it about t-shirts?
posted by Dante on 2.8.2004 - 10:57 pm
A fierce clothing purge is underway at my place this weekend. No garment survives without justifying is persistence. Entire corners of the wardrobe have been ferried off to find new homes outside these walls. As the cleansing was in progress though, I found myself fighting almost exclusively for my t-shirts. The pants that I was, quite literally, wearing during the purge are gone while t-shirts that haven't seen sunlight since a democrat held the presidency are still in my drawer. I have tie-dyed Dead shirts that have survived at least 3 draconian purges like this one. Or that kick-ass Zelda shirt.... There's this shirt I picked up at the Star Wars exhibit from the Smithsonian - I'm afraid to wear it any more because I don't want to ruin it.
My t-shirt drawer is an intensely private place for me. I would sooner give someone the PIN for my ATM card than let them into that facet of me. All of my hobbies and desires, ranging back to high school can be found there. That's a level of sharing that few have experienced, and none have truly appreciated.
Is it the nostalgia the shirts kick up, like so much other dust that's stirred up in spring cleaning? Or is it the personal statement that you were trying to make with the original purchase? Or maybe the way they've been broken in just right, through years of washing, and hanging on my shoulders ... like working a butt-groove into your favorite couch. I think its all these things-and something else. In a weird way, getting rid of the t-shirt, in some twisted way, requires me to deny the part of me that wanted the shirt in the first place. Like I would have to turn that page in my life, close off that door - pick your metaphor.
All of my other clothes are just things to cover my nakedness in public, but my t-shirts are too special to give up.
|
|
 the triplets of belleville
posted by Christopher on 2.9.2004 - 4:06 pm
so here's a movie that needs a little more than "i like it" or "i don't". i do like it - that's certainly not what's at stake. the question is whether or not you'd like it, even if you like most of the other movies i recommend.
Unlike america's stock notion of animated features, this one isn't for kids. it's not that it absolutely isn't, the way that heavy metal or legend of the overfiend or waking life isn't, it's just a tad bit too high level and a bit too slow moving to keep the interest of your average xbox-generation eight year old. since the stigma of "animation=for kids" is so prevalent in american culture, i had to watch it in a theatre full of soccer moms who don't get the concept of reading a synopsis first, and their uninterested spawn.
luckily, they had the volume cranked.
triplets is visually beautiful. a LOT of care went into making each character very unique. since there's almost no dialogue in the whole thing, that had to be accomplished through the drawing style and movement of each character - everyone has their own special nuances in the way they walk, handle props, and gesture to other characters. they spend a lot of time focussed on each character, and little things that they do that make them unique. this contributes greatly to the slow pacing of the film, but it's so worth it to the right audience.
the sound and music is the other thing that really grabbed me. the main theme is very catchy, and the rest of the music really sets the mood. the sound effects also seemed very carefully considered. the only other animated films in recent memory that had the amount of thought and care put into them to create a mood were those made by Hayao Miyazaki (My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away). in fact, if you like any of those, you'll probably appreciate triplets.
i'll be sure pick this one up when it hits DVD.
|
|
oh yeah, the strip
posted by Christopher on 2.9.2004 - 4:10 pm
guess where the bulk of my time went in this comic? this is the part where i very much wish i were fluent in any 3D modelling program that isn't adobe dimensions. still, i'm really happy w/ how it came out. my favorite part is the fountain.
|
