The Belcourt, Bjork, and B-13

This past week I went to see a couple of movies at the Belcourt. For those that don't know the Belcourt is a fantastic nonprofit movie house/theater/music venue in Hillsboro Village. It is one of the few old-time neighborhood theaters left in town (the other, Franklin Cinema in downtown Franklin, is in danger of closing later this year).
On Wednesday night Kate and I saw Prairie Home Companion, which I really enjoyed. On Tuesday afternoon I went alone and saw Department B-13, a French action movie with English subtitles. There's not much to know about the plot, except that about 3 minutes into it fighting, chases, and explosions ensue and don't really let up until the credits roll. Good movie.
However, before the showing of B-13, I saw what I think might have been the worst movie preview ever. Not a bad preview in the way you might think a movie looks dumb or uninteresting, but bad in a way that causes physical pain and emotional distress.
This movie is called Drawing Restraint 9. It stars Bjork and Barney (not the purple dinosaur, though it might actually have made it better). Set to a soundtrack that sounds like a sped-up audio recording of a roomful of kittens being tortured, various scenes flash on the screen: Bjork dancing around on a whaling ship, some icebergs, and a few concerned Japanese fishermen. There were other images, but I was trying to staunch the bloodflow from my ears, so I didn't get them all. However, nothing about the plot is really explained.
And though I didn't really want explanation, a part of me was intrigued (or bored) enough to seek out the film's website when I got home. You can visit it here, but it won't explain anything either. It will give pearls of wisdom like: "Production is the anal output of the path." I don't know what that means, but I'm going to try to use that sentence at least once a day.
Finally, I searched out my favorite site, Bjork.com, and came across a plot synopsis. It is several paragraphs long, so I'll only reproduce my favorite:

"In a harrowing liebestod which is the climax and centerpiece of the film, the Guests (Bjork and Barney), locked in an embrace and breathing through blowhole-like orifices in the back of their necks, take out flensing knives and cut away each other's feet and thighs. The remains of their lower bodies are revealed to contain traces of whales' tails at an early stage of development, suggesting rebirth, physical transformation, and the possibility of new forms."

Wow. Watching icebergs and listening to kitty torture I never would have guessed that was how this movie would end. If you want to click on over to Fandango right now and grab some tickets go ahead. Sorry I gave away the climax of the movie.

The Great Western Roadtrip, Part II

This is Telluride, a ski resort town in southwestern Colorado that is one of my favorite places. Ironic, a little, since I've never snow skied and have only been there in the summer. The picture above is looking down Main Street, which is the only road into town. A mile or so further up the road becomes a 4-wheel drive only trail that snakes up the mountain pass. The night in Telluride was the only period of rainy weather for the trip so the pictures did not turn out that great.

Here we are in Grand Tetons National Park, with, along with nearby Jackson Hole, might be my new favorite. It was nice at the very least to visit with an actual driver's license and with money.

I came across this guy walking down the highway in the middle of the park. I put my car in reverse and got along side of him to take his picture. He started walking faster. I again put my car in reverse to pull along side, we he then made a somewhat threatening noise and momentarily stood on his hind legs. Not knowing whether or not my rental had bear insurance, I drove on.

The Grand Tetons once again, this time near sunset.

Since the direct road from the Tetons to Yellowstone was still closed for the winter, I had to detour around through eastern Idaho. There I came across this, Upper Mesa Falls.

Yellowstone was overrun with buffalo and elk.

My favorite part of Yellowstone: The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone river. This is a picture of the lower falls, as is the picture below, which was taken further down the canyon.

Finally, a picture of Old Faithful. Unfortunately, by the time I got around to see it the sun was heading down. If I dug through my closet I probably could find some better pictures from my first, ill-fated trip. I did plan on getting up early to drive by and take a few more pictures on my way back to Salt Lake. However, getting up early voluntarily rarely, if ever, works for me.

List of the Week

Made for TV movies coming soon to Lifetime Television
Hey kids, four of these titles are actual for-real Lifetime Made-For-TV titles! Guess which ones and win a fabulous prize!

1. A Scream in the Night
2. The Good Husband (A Fantasy)
3. The Fire Down Below (Betty Battles Chlamydia)
4. Mother, May I Sleep With Danger?
5. A Scream During Midmorning
6. Day Spa Apocalypse
7. A Date With Darkness
8. Orgy of Blood II: Massacre at the Garden Club
9. A Scream Shortly Before 3:30
10. Diane, A Loving, Generous, Wonderful, Self-Sacrificing Housewive, Unexpectedly Gets A Rare Form of Cancer, Her Horrible, Selfish, Bigoted, Crack-Addict Husband Leaves Her, She Unexpectedly Meets A Dashing Yet Mysterious Oncologist, He Gives Her The Last Dose of A Secret New Mystery Cure, She Miraculously Goes Into Remission, They Fall Madly in Love, Marry, The Cancer Makes an Unexpected and Horrific Comeback, The One Ingredient Necessary to Make Another Dose of the Mystery Cure Is In the Hands of Her Horrible, Selfish, Bigoted, Crack-Addict ex-Husband Who Refuses to Help, She Dies Tragically Yet Beautifully in the Dashing Yet Mysterious Oncologist's Arms. Fin.
11. Deadly Intentions...Again?
12. Molly and Her Magic Uterus
13. Baby Monitor: Sound of Fear
14. Women: Fantastic; Men: Not So Much