deerstalker
https://blackgirlnerds.com/sundance-2021-review-all-light-everywhere/
At first sight, Theo Anthony’s new artsy documentary film could be a conception on the history of the camera or homage to the human image; but go deeper and Anthony is saying something about the many ways pictures, images, video, or anything that can be framed, can tell a story.
He is also asking whose story, from what point of view, and what happens outside that frame.
However, in doing so, the filmmaker creates a complicated and sometimes confusing presentation that is in danger of limiting itself to camera buffs and surveillance aficionados. Instead of the wider audience of people who want to understand how much video has helped and hindered criminal investigations.
Anthony, a Baltimore and New York-based director, photographer, and Sundance Film Festival fellowship recipient juxtaposes historical narrative on early camera inventions, a focus group monitoring attention span while watching videos, with shots of footage from the 21st-century body cam, a visit to Axon headquarters, makers of body cams, drones, and tasers often used by police departments, to people staring at the 2017 Eclipse to the attaching of cameras on pigeons to make the case that all images are subjective. All perceptions are subjective.
He turns to famed 19th Century French scientist and photographic inventor, Etienne Marey whose multiple camera plates contributed to what later became motion pictures, and policeman Alphonse Bertillion who first used specially-angled pictures to thoroughly photograph a crime scene, as evidence that the eye is fickle and only sees “that of which it already has an idea.”
It shouldn’t be lost on any viewer of this documentary that Anthony, a white man, is aware of the barely controlled frustrations between the Baltimore Police Department and the Black community after the 2016 death of Freddie Gray led to citywide rioting.
And who can forget the 2018 headline-grabbing news of Dallas resident Botham Jean, an accountant, eating ice cream on his couch when he was fatally shot by a just off patrol, police officer Amber Guyger.
Released video footage showed outside the apartment and the aftermath of Guyger making no attempt to help the victim and police arriving on the scene but none of the actual incident.
Perhaps the best parts of the documentary are the look on Baltimore policemen and women’s faces as they are lectured on the new body cams they will wear in an effort to stop or control future tragedies or insurrections. The bemused, bored, both knowing and quizzical looks on the faces of the officers speak volumes, perhaps more than Anthony and crew realize. It’s very apparent that some do not think they need to be there and from the looks of it, not too happy to be on camera.
One thing Anthony’s crew does seem to relish is the time spent at Axon headquarters, where a company spokesperson goes overboard trying to explain how high-tech the offices are and how amazing their products are. The big get is that in talking about surveillance equipment, the spokesperson seemingly, unknowingly gives away intel about the company’s in-house surveillance.
There are no obvious segues in this documentary, only jumps to the next thing. In this case, it’s to a Baltimore public meeting where a police officer tries to sell the idea of body cam use in the community.
Unlike the officers, the audience doesn’t sit quietly but argues why they are for or against, and in the end, there seems no real collective solution. Then there is another switch, to children in a Baltimore inner-city public school shooting a movie using all the latest technology. The scene is a confusing array of shots, angles, and kids using their most adult selves to act, direct and produce. It goes on for some time before abruptly shutting off.
According to information received by Blackgirlnerds.com, Anthony spent months shooting this footage but eventually decided that all that he saw during this time did not go with the general theme.
Anthony concludes with a quote from 19th-century abolitionist Frederick Douglass on images that sums up what he tried but failed to clearly convey: “We all feel that there is something more. That the curtain has not yet been lifted. There is a prophet with us forever whispering that behind the seen lies the immeasurable unseen.”
Credit given to composer Dan Deacon and sound designer Udit Duseja for giving the film suitably haunting music, especially during lead-ins to the historical narration.
All Light, Everywhere premiered at Sundance on Jan. 31.
Writers: Vita Ayala / Artist: Rod Reis / Marvel Comics
Issue #16 of New Mutants is filled with heartache, mistrust, deception and intrigue. We start off with Shadow King working with this rag tag group of C-List mutants; Rain Boy, Cosmar, No-Girl and Anole. It’s all written pretty plainly on the wall. Shadow King stay schemin’, and this time he’s got his shadowy claws pointed at one of the newest and unpredictable mutants; Cosmar.
I really enjoyed the angle they took with welcoming in Cosmar and building up the complications that she comes with. Being a mutant who has had their body deformed, eye enlarged, face disfigured, and body purplized because of their initial lack of control of their powers would make someone want to be their old self again. Being denied this venture would lead the most level-headed down a path of resent and malice, which is why Hurricane Cosmar is a brewing, and Shadow King is sitting pretty in the eye of the storm.
Scout has been a cool character for me to learn about and appreciate. She’s also been the mutant I’ve felt for the most lately, cuz clone girl been goin through it. Last issue she was going hard on the perceived stance on a certain kind of mutant being brought back and received some soft reassurance then kind of got dismissed.
Now she’s being told to learn to think beyond what the humans who indoctrinated her allowed her to know about herself. There are two big takeaways for me here. The use of the word indoctrinate is so perfect and does a really good job of explaining why a teacher like Warpath would want her to learn about herself before trying to support as an instructor. The other thing is these doubtful recurring Scout responses of “For now” and “I guess.”
Alsoooo, if she keeps getting deaded by Daken for makeout sessions, something will be going down real soon.
Last but not least, Wolfsbane is going through it. She’s finally at the point in her life where the child she lost is weighing on her more heavily than she can bare. Eventually, her and Moonstar hit the Lagoon for Doug’s wedding reception, which led to one of the more incredible conversations that have gone down in all of the X-Books lately. I hope all the children reading this book take something away from this scene. Dani explains to Rahne that it’s ok to be conflicted at a function or gathering of friends when something like that is on your mind. You’re allowed to feel sad and to hurt, and it doesn’t take away from the love you have for someone else.
Beautifully written issue by Vita Ayala. Rod Reis does his dope watercolor like artistic thing, as expected. I’m a particularly big fan of the nearly devoid of color white that Reis bestows on Shadow King and can’t wait to see more of this potential threat. This was another good go with the New Mutants, and I’m intrigued where all of these threads are leading.
8 Cheers to “Our great future” out of 10
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It’s been a tough year, and as we approach the anniversary of this pandemic (yup, it’s been almost a year of this) I’ve had some time to think about some of the things that have brought me joy. Obviously, my wife and my family have given me comfort but plenty of personal pleasures have made living in this new world a little bit better. Normally, video games and comic books serve as the ultimate form of escapism for me but lately, I’ve unexpectedly found comfort in my collection of statues, figures, and other nerd related memorabilia to bring me joy.
Humble Beginnings
I only started collecting statues and figurines about five years ago. When I think about how I got here, I honestly couldn’t tell you how it started. I had to really dig deep to think about all the other things I’ve collected in my life. If I look back to before my ridiculous amount of Funko Pops!, the only things that held up space in my life were comic books and various trade paperbacks, which brought me back to my high school years.
I’m not as big on my high school years as a bunch of others are, but this is a memory I hold dear. I had found a shop right on the way from school to the train station. One day I decided to check it out and before I knew it, I was there every day, after school looking for the newest issues of Ultimate comics or any of my other favorite Marvel books. I think the best part about buying comics was looking for the best variant covers and collecting books not just to read but for the art. Years later this would break my wallet as Marvel started dropping Hip-Hop covers.
Looking back even further to my childhood, I realized that I have always been collecting. Like most kids, toys were a thing to have. However, what really held a special place in my heart were my Pokemon cards. Pokemon dominated the 90s’ and beyond the games, the cards were everything. Buying them, trying to collect them all. I remember loving those cards so much. I never really got into playing the card game too much. No, I found that I had much more fun finding all of the rare and special versions of the cards.
I even had a binder with page after page filled with my favorite cards. I was proud of that binder, all the different versions of the same Pokemon cards or even the shiny holographic cards that were hard to get. The fun I had buying card packs, not knowing if I would be stuck with the same cards I had before or something rare. It’s a shame that my binder would get stolen later on, which left me devastated as a kid. I stopped collecting novelty items after and even collecting comic books didn’t feel the same.
Statues, Funkos, and Pops! Oh My!
I honestly don’t know what led to my ridiculous collection. What was once a collection of pins and giant dice turned into an assortment of more than 100 Funko Pops! and a few figurines. One thing led to another and soon enough I found myself shopping for just the right bookshelf to display the crazy amount of bobbleheads and statues I had gathered. Family members started even buying me Pops! as Christmas presents.
When we first got the bookshelf, my wife made fun of me. I had a habit of organizing the Pops! just the way I wanted them. The Spider-Man collection was the most important, so all of those needed to go together. Then next came the section of the bookshelf dedicated to my wife’s Pops!, which she called “her girls.” I insisted that those needed to be organized by DC and Marvel girls. The bottom shelves were dedicated to the random movie, television, and animation Pops! we’ve collected. Finally, the top shelf holds the statues I bought for my wife because those are some of her favorite kinds of presents.
This past Christmas I took a good long look at my bookshelf. A bookshelf that was barely able to fit all these figures on because I refuse to take most of them out of the box. I smiled. I thought about how over the past five years, how much fun I had collecting these things. Going to Comic-Con with my wife and collecting all the comics, swag, and toys we could. Dipping and diving into a Walgreens just to find super rare Spider-Man Pops! Talking with my uncle and comparing his collection to mine (he always had the better ones, ones that are worth like $300 +). I even got my wife into it, and we built the collection I have together.
Don’t Take Away Your Own Joy
I know my trophy hall has brought me many things. A community. Trust me, you’re not the only one out there. Sharing my collection with groups, friends, and family, especially those who share your love of the inanimate but well designed, is such a fulfilling experience. A bonding experience with my wife. We both love collecting figures together, it has brought us closer, and over the past couple of years, we’ve taken trips to Hot Topic just to find our favorite Pops!
We even had a laugh as we exchanged Pops! for Christmas. I bought her Inuyasha verses Sesshomaru and she got me the Spider-Men pointing at each other meme figures. We know each other so well. And as I think about adding more than just Pops! to our bookshelf, I think what I gained the most from collecting is joy.
There is a joy in the little hobbies that might feel insignificant to some but are important to you. I mean, yes, when you simplify it, I’m just buying figures and statues because they look cool and they are dope to show off, but there is nothing wrong with that. We all need personal pleasures. They are a form of self-care. If buying that statue of Punisher and Daredevil throwing hands will put a smile on your face, then do it.
Many of us look at life and just let responsibility take a hold of us. It can be mentally draining. I know I do. I skip out on so much because I feel like my money needs to be spent elsewhere or that if it serves no purpose, I shouldn’t get it. That kind of thinking stresses you out. As adults, no one is going to know what you want better than you do. In the words of Donna Meagle and Tom Haverford – Treat Yourself!
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The post Finding Comfort in Collection: Embracing Your Joy appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.