CELL PHONE SUMMER SO FAR

RADIOLAB LISTENING PARTY @ THE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE

Last night Josh and I attended the Radiolab listening party at the Boston Museum of Science. Part of their When Science Meets Art series, the event was held in the planetarium and the host and producer of Radiolab, Jad Abumrad, was their for a Q&A sesh. The sold out crowd filed into the planetarium and leaned back in our chairs. The lights dimmed and above us appeared the night sky. For the next hour, we listened to the Space episode from season two. As the program shifted between stories and interviews, the sky above us moved as well.

There's something to be said about events like this. In the past, evening radio programs were best experienced in a group setting. We all know the image of a family gathering around the radio after dinner for the news and variery programs. There isn't a drive for this communal experience anymore. Radio has been limited to road trips and portable podcasts. All of us could have listened to this episode online from our own home's, but we chose to come out to the Museum of Science on a wednesday night and sit in a dark room together. So it was exciting and fun to experience such interesting topics with strangers.

The Museum also opened up the Blue Wing for a mingle session, some interactive art, and also a chocolate fountain. Jad was there to answer questions and hang out.

So many people kept coming up to him that I don't think he ever got to try the treats. Josh and I sure had our fill of chocolate covered strawberries.

The interactive exhibit was a media installation where you could stand in front of a green screen and have your image be kaleidoscoped with other people and topical background images. It was alright.

One could easily find similar attractions at other museums. Also, the screen was too small to even see the components that made up the final image. It would have been more fun if it was larger.


We had more fun exploring the other floors on the Blue Wing and playing with the optical illusions. The museum was also a new adult gallery, so for their first show they featured photographs by Edward Burtynsky. I recommend people see the documentary Manufactured Landscapes, which is about his work.

Overall, it was a fun time and I'll be looking forward to the next When Science Meets Art event at the museum. Listen to all the Radiolab episodes and also there podcast on their website.

THE NEXT FIVE WEEKS IN FILM

After a slump of no-good films that came out after the Oscars, I've been eagerly awaiting the spring independents to come to Boston. I had some free time yesterday, so I did a check of what's coming up. Boy, was I surprised! Starting this weekend, there will be a new film on my "Must See of 2008-2009" list screening every weekend! Never has a Boston spring been this full of good films. So here we go:

Friday, March 27th - HUNGER @ The Kendall (For one week only)

Hunger blew people away last year at European festivals and now it's coming to the United States. Told in three movements, the film follows the 1981 hunger strikes performed by IRA prisoners after they were stripped of their POW status. It looks incredible. Directed by Steve McQueen (no, not that Steve McQueen).

Friday, April 3rd - EXAMINED LIFE @ The Brattle

A documentary with extended interviews from some of the most influential modern philosophers, including Peter Singer and Slavoj Zizek. Directed by Astra Taylor, who is married to Jeff Magnum of Neutral Milk Hotel. I believe he also contributed some music to the film.

Friday, April 10th - THE BETRAYAL (NERAKHOON) @ The MFA

As much as I enjoyed Man on Wire, and thought it deserved the Oscar for Best Documentary, I think Ellen Kuras' film should have gotten the recognition for relevance to current events. Shot over the course of about 20 years, The Betrayal follows a Laotian family's move to the United States after Vietnam. It looks beautiful.

Sunday, April 19th - TULPAN @ The Harvard Film Archive

I'm planning on seeing Tulpan after a glowing review by Michael Tully on Hammer to Nail. I guess that's all I can really say about it. If you want to learn more just read the review here, and I'm sure it'll convince you to see it too. Directed by Sergei Dvortsevoy.

April 21st - 28th - THE INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL OF BOSTON

For the past two years I've been going to the IFFB and I think it's a really solid festival. They do a good job of getting directors to come and speak and there is always a good line-up of films coming right off the SXSW buzz. Here's are some of the features that I want to see this year:

BEESWAX by Andrew Bujalski
CHILDREN OF INVENTION by Tze Chun
THE BROTHERS BLOOM by Rian Johnson
and of course 500 DAYS OF SUMMER because I have a major crush on Zooey Deschanel.

The rest of their 2009 lineup can be found here. Happy movie-going!

FRIENDS AND STRANGERS

After watching Obama's win on television, friends and strangers take to the streets of Boston to celebrate. Hugs, high-fives, running, chanting and John Kerry.

REDEFINING OPEN SPACES?

On my way to work in South Boston, I always pass a set of steps in Chinatown. Recently I passed these steps and they were covered in sod! This makes me go, "Hmmmm?"

When I went to the Fort Point Open Studios a few weeks ago I learned that in 2001, Boston artists Lisa Greenfield and Jennifer Moses blanketed the length of the Summer Street bridge with grass, creating a massive stretch of natural carpet. They called it Phase One of "Redefining Open Spaces," a public art project. I'm wondering if these steps are by the same artists, or if someone else has another idea in mind. Is this public art? Or did someone just have some extra sod? It's definitely not as impressive as the original project, but it still caught my attention.

Lisa Greenfield, 2001