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Godard's 3D Film 'Goodbye To Language' Is Making Cinematic History

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Take one of cinema's greatest filmmakers, give him one of the most innovative visual tools of the past decade and the result is something truly spectacular. In "Goodbye to Language," the 39th feature-length film from Jean-Luc Godard, the French New Wave master reimagines the use of 3D to create something that goes far beyond mere visual illusion.

"Goodbye to Language," which tied for the Jury Prize at Cannes earlier this year and had its U.S. premiere at the New York Film Festival, tells a simple story: It's about a married woman and a man, a dog wandering through nature and, eventually, a baby. Like most of Godard's work, "Goodbye to Language" is filled to the brim with disjointed fragments of philosophical musings between characters -- one woman repeatedly asks offscreen, "Is it possible to produce a concept about Africa?" The idea behind the film may be straightforward and quite literal as it plays with both images and words to question the current state of cinema and the ways we can perceive it, but the act of watching the film is mentally and intellectually challenging.

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Throughout, Godard juxtaposes, superimposes and disconnects imagery and sound -- he simultaneously uses 2D with 3D, stereo sound with mono sound, and documentary footage and old movie clips with handheld footage. To introduce the multiple sections of the film, Godard superimposes words in title cards: the text "2D" is flat on the screen while the word "3D" is layered on top of it, popping out at you. "Goodbye to Language" constantly scrambles and plays with your brain until, at moments, you're not quite sure what you're viewing or exactly how to look at it.

Take for instance one of two shots in the film that have never been done before in the history of cinema. The moment is so innovative and unusual that Godard and his cinematographer, Fabrice Aragno, didn't even have a name for it (Aragno has referred to the shot as "separation," for lack of a better term).

"I began thinking about making something in 3D that can only be in 3D," Aragno told HuffPost. "3D means two images, one left and one right, and both can be together, but you can also make one image different than the other." That's exactly what the cinematographer did, shooting scenes with two separate cameras, then overlaying the 3D images to create a warped, multi-layered illusion that forces the eyes to readjust.

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In one scene we see a woman and an older man, her lover, sitting on a bench. A second man, her husband, appears with a gun and pulls the woman out of the shot and to the right. But instead of cutting back and fourth between the action going on in the separate shots, Aragno used two cameras to capture both in 3D. The result is a layered image of the woman and her husband combined with the left-hand-side image of the man on the bench. If you close one eye, you will only see the woman and her husband, if you close the other you will only see the man on the bench, and if both eyes are open your brain will struggle to view them simultaneously. Yet at the end of the wild visual experiment, the separated images join back together in what Aragno has called a "romantic effect."

While the experience of watching the film in 3D is an incredibly unique one, Aragno and Godard also decided to make a 2D version for audiences to enjoy. Below is the clip of the woman, her lover and her husband as it looks in 2D:





When asked if there's an ideal viewing experience for the film -- should we switch back and fourth between eyes or try to endure using both? -- Aragno admitted that he wasn't sure. While he prefers to watch the scenes with both eyes open, he said that audiences at Cannes switched between left and right. Yet his hope is that viewers can approach the film in their own way and arrive at their own interpretations. "You are the editor," he said. "You can associate what you see or hear with your own feelings."

The cinematographer recalled a line from an older Godard film when considering the relationship between imagery and language. In 1967's "2 or 3 Things About Her," a boy asks, "What is language?" A woman responds, "Language is the house man lives in.” A film like "Goodbye to Language," which is nothing short of a fascinating viewing experience, lends itself to multiple interpretations. Perhaps it is Godard's cynical take-down of our technologically-driven age and his way of imploring us to view the world more naturally, in the manner of a wandering dog. Regardless, a film like this lets us build our own individualized house of perception, fashioning it however we want to experience it.

"Goodbye to Language" has a limited release in New York City on Oct. 29, followed by a national release.

Putin Is Hercules In A New Art Exhibit

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If, for some reason, you have ever wondered what Russian President Vladimir Putin might look like as Hercules, then the art world has finally provided your answer. A new exhibit depicting Russia's demagogue as demigod opened in Moscow on Monday as a one-night-only tribute for Putin's 62nd birthday.

Entitled the "12 Labors Of Vladimir Putin," the exhibit depicts the Russian president in a variety of heroic feats as he triumphs over mythical beasts that range from a Cretan bull (referencing Crimea) to a multi-headed Hydra that seemingly represents western sanctions. While certainly on top of current events, much of the unauthorized art is less than subtle. Indeed, one work paints Putin literally strangling a terrorist with his bare hands.

The show was organized by the head of a Facebook fan group dedicated to Putin, who told the Guardian that the aim of the exhibit was "forming a different image of Putin because the western media constantly criticises [sic] him." It reportedly debuted to a group of mostly journalists and some students, who perused the various Putins.

It's unknown whether the non-mythical Putin, who is currently celebrating his birthday in the wilds of Siberia, has any knowledge of the exhibit's existence. The president's relationship with the art world has been fraught as of late, though it's reasonable to think these works may be more to his liking.

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The Booty Is In Another Castle In This Super Mario, J. Lo, Shakira Mashup

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Are Jennifer Lopez and Shakira fans of Mario and Luigi? If not, they will be after seeing this new music video.

Kawehi, a singer from Lawrence, Kansas, created a mashup of Lopez's "Booty" with Shakira's "She Wolf," cleverly adding the "Super Mario Bros." theme song to the backing track.

As reported by The Daily Dot, the video was created as a reward for a backer of Kawehi's ongoing Kickstarter campaign to fund her "Evolution" EP. So far, her fans have pledged $37,000 to her cause, far exceeding her $3,000 goal.

That's pretty final-level.

What 'The Flash' Gets Right About Superheroes (And Why It Can Thank 'Arrow')

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It would be awful if "The Flash" were a drag, right? If the CW show, which debuts 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday and is based on the famous DC Comics character, lacked energy and vigor, viewers would end up struggling with a huge disconnect, given the abilities and name of the title character.

Happily, "The Flash" does not lack for energetic appeal. Its sprightly first hour is one of the most solidly entertaining pilots of the fall season, and it did the most important thing that first episodes must do: It made me eager to see what comes next. (As it happens, the only other excellent broadcast network drama pilot in an otherwise pallid crop also airs on the CW. Keep an eye out for the endearing "Jane the Virgin," which arrives Monday.)

If you've seen Season 2 of "Arrow," you're already aware that Grant Gustin, who had a great guest arc on that program last fall, was the perfect choice to play Barry Allen, a fresh-faced crime-lab scientist from Central City whose optimistic demeanor disguises a tragic past. Allen's mother died in mysterious circumstances when he was 11, and his father was falsely imprisoned for the crime. All these years later, Allen's still searching for the real killer, even as he adjusts to the fallout from an accident that left him with exceptional new abilities.

The brisk and engaging "Flash" pilot has a number of things in its favor. It has an immediate grasp of the kind of tone and pace that will serve this character well, and the appealing cast assembled around Gustin, particularly Tom Cavanagh as S.T.A.R. Labs entrepreneur Harrison Wells and Jesse L. Martin as Allen family friend Joe West, bodes well for "The Flash."

Another element that works is the fact that two-thirds of the creative team behind "Arrow," which enters its third season Wednesday, created the TV version of "The Flash." Given how good "Arrow" has gotten over the course of its two seasons, I'm optimistic that executive producers Greg Berlanti and Andrew Kreisberg will be able to get "The Flash" up to speed quickly (sorry, but it's not possible to write a Barry Allen story without employing a few puns).

One of the most enjoyable things about the past year or so has been hearing from viewers who have caught up with "Arrow" and enjoyed its emergence as one of televisions most dependably entertaining and visually kinetic shows. Both seasons of "Arrow" will be on Netflix as of Wednesday, so if you're not familiar with the adventures of playboy-turned-crime fighter Oliver Queen, soon you'll have no excuse not to dive in.

With any luck, "The Flash," which has a lighter and more colorful look than the other CW superhero show, will end up being every bit as diverting as "Arrow." But the good news is, even as they stand now, there's something deeper going on in both programs. Neither "The Flash" nor the "Arrow" ignores the moral and emotional difficulties that their characters face: In truth, these challenges are what end up powering the storytelling.

It's one thing to have exceptional abilities and powers, but it's quite another to come to terms with pain, loss, loneliness and suffering. Barry Allen lost his mother and endured the sight of his father spending years in prison (in a nice touch, his father on the show is played by John Wesley Shipp, who played Allen in a previous "Flash" TV show). Oliver Queen is still coming to terms with the psychological scars of his five-year exile from home, the loss of his father and continuing family turmoil. Both shows are really about characters trying to find their place in the world; men whose abilities sometimes give their lives meaning but don't necessarily help them form meaningful connections.

As dyed-in-the-wool comic-book fans, Kreisberg, Berlanti and "Arrow" executive producer Marc Guggenheim know that great visuals and exciting adventures aren't enough: They get that these stories need emotional weight and relationships worth investing in to truly take flight.

A couple of months ago, I spoke to Berlanti and Kreisberg about the challenges ahead for both "Arrow" and "The Flash." In Part 1 of the interview, they talked about "Arrow's" Hong Kong story line and the various characters and DC villains we'll be seeing in "The Flash" (they also discussed the gay characters we'll see in the new show). In Part 2, which is below, they talk about the differences between the two programs and how they have approached building the world of Barry Allen and expanding the saga of Oliver Queen.

Barry has these powers, and obviously Oliver studied all these forms of combat and archery and so forth, but he doesn't really have a power as such, not in the same way. Does that make "The Flash" a bit different?

Kreisberg: Yeah. Oliver in the pilot was as much the Green Arrow as he'll ever be, expertise-wise. The show is really an exploration of the evolution of his morality. But with "Flash," you have somebody who was just an ordinary guy leading his ordinary life, when suddenly he had these amazing abilities thrust upon him.

So much of the beginning of "Flash" is Barry discovering his powers, learning what he can do. Sometimes that's terrifying, sometimes that's humorous, and then he's also learning that, as powerful as he is, [there are things he can't do]. Sometimes he can be more heroic then he thought and then sometimes he's not able to save somebody. So it's a very different kind of superhero. And yet in a way, I think it's probably more relatable, because I think people can see themselves in Barry -- "What would I do? What kinds of decisions I would have to make?" I think Oliver is sort of ...

"I am a billionaire playboy with great abs."

Kreisberg: [laughs] Yeah, like you say, Oliver is a billionaire and he was a castaway and he's trained as an assassin. He's amazing and we love him and obviously the audience has connected with him, but there is something distancing about him. One of the great things about Barry and one of the amazing things about Grant is, he really pulls you in and you really feel for him. Because when Oliver walks into battle you're not really concerned for him, you're more worried about who he's going up against. With Barry, even though he has this ability, you're always worried for him.

Berlanti: We talked a lot about how "The Flash" is going to be different and how is it going to be similar. One thing we always talk about is how Oliver had an upbringing [and then he was changed] on that island. Beneath a pessimistic exterior, I believe, is this hopeful person, but it's just buried down so deep. The journey of the series is his journey back to that person.

Barry had this horrible thing happen to him as a kid, and yet he seems affable -- on the surface, he's optimistic, but I think beneath that, there's a rage, there's an anger, there's a darker person. He's kind of a pessimist disguised as an optimist and Oliver is the opposite.

What did you learn in the first two seasons of "Arrow" that will help you hone "Arrow" and will help you make "The Flash"? What are the do's and don'ts that you feel like you've learned?

Kreisberg: As much success as "Arrow" had, creatively we feel like we had some stumbling moments and some learning curves, especially in Season 1. As the season progressed, especially in the back half of Season 1, we really started to figure out how to mix the personal stories with the crime stories, with the right amount of DC Comics, with the right amount of humor. And certainly Emily [Bett Rickards, who plays Felicity] emerging as she did really helped with that.

Now we really feel like while breaking "Arrow's" stories is always hard, it's no longer difficult, if that makes sense. And it's actually been really strange to work on "Flash," because in a lot of ways it's actually much more like writing some of the earlier shows that Greg and I have worked on, like "Everwood" and "Eli Stone." There's a lot more of that sort of emotional heart and humor to it.

Those elements are kind of baked in already.

Kreisberg: Yeah. And I think the hardest part of "Arrow" was finding that balance, and I think we have found it earlier on [with "Flash"]. We love the characters and that's really where our hearts lie. [Character] stuff is always hard work, but the hardest thing is really been figuring out how to actually make "Flash," the production aspect of it. "Flash" is so different from "Arrow" in the way it's made -- there are so many more visual effects. So as much as we've learned on how to make "Arrow" work, a lot of it has actually not been helpful in creating the a model for "Flash."

Berlanti: Every show is different to make, regardless of the genre. No matter where you're starting at, in terms of how strong the pilot is or how much improvement needs to happen, there's always the riddle of, "How are we going to do this every week and what works about this show and what doesn't work about it?" One big thing we learned is, get the best actors you can. Because to save money, to have that production value that audiences require at this point, there are going to be a lot of times you need great actors to make everything better, and that will save your butt.

My consistent critique of "Arrow" is that I always want more of the core trio of Diggle, Oliver and Felicity, but I understood in Season 2, you had to fill out the world. But at the end of the season, when they were down to the core trio again at certain points, that was excellent.

Kreisberg: We did that really consciously, because Season 2 was about expanding the world and experimenting and obviously we brought on new characters. But we had always intended [to bring it back to the roots of the trio]. Oliver says, "It started with the three of us, it's time we got back to that." That was our mantra in the writers' room. I think that's why those last few episodes were so strong, and this season we're very conscious of that. And a lot of these early episodes are focused on the big three, and with the addition of Roy to that team.

The dynamic of S.T.A.R. Labs on "The Flash" is different, obviously, because [lead scientist] Harrison Wells is a darker character – he's almost like a dark mentor. There are shady things happening there and we don't know the whole story there yet.

Berlanti: Harrison works on a couple of different levels. There's obviously the uber-mythology and what his role is in that. But then, within the show, it's kind of like a boy in search of his lost dad. Barry's father is in prison; he had his surrogate dad, [Joe West], who raised him, who is kind of his blue-collar father. And then he has this man who he wants to emulate and who wanted to be this is brilliant scientist. "Searching for Bobby Fischer" comes up when we talk about the dynamics of all these different sort of fathers in his life.

And there is a way that Wells is a real [key to the show]. Despite what other agenda he may or may not have, he's fully integrated into this squad. Part of the show is making science fun, it was always important for us to have kind of a "Big Bang Theory" crew around Barry that were his Scooby gang from the start.

How much of the "Flash" is going to be the search for his mother's murderer and how much is going to be a weekly procedural? It seems like if you let Barry just do his job, it could be "CSI: Barry Allen." How are you balancing those elements?

Kreisberg: As we have with "Arrow," there's the villain of the week, but there's the ongoing personal stories. Joss Whedon has taught us to have a Big Bad, so for "Flash" there will be a villain of the week, but then there's the ongoing story of finding on what happened that night, getting his father out of prison, and as the Big Bad's plans are slowly revealed, there is the deeper mystery of what's happening within the city.

Berlanti: One thing that's different is Joe didn't believe Barry all those years and that's expressed in the pilot, but [as the season progresses,] he does. He's a cop and he's going to want to figure out, as Barry does, what happened [to Barry's mom] that night. There are different people that get involved in the mysteries.

So the journey for Barry in this first season is just adjusting to what's been thrust upon him?

Berlanti: I think it's just like [the situation with] Oliver -- there are always multiple journeys. There's the overarching mystery of what happened that night as a kid. There are his abilities now. There is the changing world that's out there right now. There are things he's going to discover about that world. There's also the birth of The Flash [as a crime-fighter] in that world, and we activate [Joe's daughter and Barry's friend Iris West] that way. She's not just a love interest on the show or just a best friend. We all know she became a journalist in the comic book and [the show] is very much her origin story too. There are lots of fun elements that way.

When you've done the team-ups on "Arrow," like with the Suicide Squad, for example, it was really fun. Are you going to try to do with "Flash" or is it not the right time for that yet?

Kreisberg: Well, we're adding Ronnie Raymond. We will be seeing other DC Comics people. I think that for those kinds of things on "Arrow," we waited until Season 2 to do that, to where hopefully they didn't feel like gimmicks, they felt like it was the right time for those things to happen.

And even when we do stuff like that, [it has to be character-based]. When the Suicide Squad shows up, or Argus or Amanda Waller, those stories are really about Dig. It's always important for us to say, "This is a Dig episode," just as we say, "What's Oliver going through? What's Dig going through?" "Why is it important to tell this story?" And the icing on the cake is the Suicide Squad.

And that episode with the Birds of Prey really was about Laurel. The [description] of that was, "How does Laurel get her groove back after having lost her job?" Truthfully it's one of the first times we sat down and were less concerned with what Oliver was going through that week and really much more concerned with what Laurel was going through, because that was really her episode. It was really an episode for her and Sara. So since its early days on "Flash," every episode is revolving around what's Barry going through. Those kinds of meta team-ups are better served once our characters are fully in place.

Is "Arrow" different this season because he's kind of accepted as a hero? What's the overall character journey for Oliver?

Kreisberg: For him this season it's, "Can I be Oliver Queen and the Arrow? Am I Oliver Queen or am I the Arrow?" When we pick up the season, it's really about -- for so many years they've been struggling for victory and now they have it. And sometimes victory is not as easy as fighting the war. [Executive producer] Marc Guggenheim, our other partner on "Arrow", likes to say that everything's coming up "Arrow" right now.

When we pick up it's six months [after the Season 2 finale], crime is down. [Quentin] Lance, who has taken a new position in the police department, has disbanded the anti-vigilante task force. Things are going really well, and of course, just when things are starting to go really well, we have to throw our characters into the wood chipper again. But Oliver's starting to feel like maybe there's a life for him beyond the hood. What he's struggling with in the first episode and is what he's going to be doing with the entire season is, "Which one am I and who am I?" The theme of identity crops up in all of the characters over the course of the season.

Berlanti: One thing we always said is he had to lose his humanity to survive on the island and now in Hong Kong. Can a person, when they've gone to those places, can they regain their humanity piece by piece? And last year [Oliver's quest] was, "I'm not going to kill." And now I think it's, can he ever be normal again? Can he ever have a regular life? Is that even possible for someone like him and all the things that go along with that -- family, love, a relationship? Dig says to him in the beginning of the year, "This is the best it's going to get. So you can't do it now, when?" That will be a big question, one we've seen many other heroes struggle with -- is it an either/or thing? "If I'm the Arrow, do I get to have any of those other normal people things or do I have to hang up the hood?"

"The Flash" airs 8 p.m. ET Tuesday. "Arrow" returns 8 p.m. ET Wednesday.

Ryan McGee and I have discussed "Arrow" many times (sometimes with the "Arrow" producers mentioned above) on the Talking TV podcast. You can find all of those podcasts here.




Ryan Murphy's New Series 'American Crime Story' Will Take On The O.J. Simpson Trial

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Just when we thought "American Horror Story" couldn't get any scarier, Ryan Murphy has decided to bring us a whole new series based on real-life crimes.

"American Crime Story," a so-called companion series to "American Horror Story," will chronicle real crimes in the same anthology format as Murphy's "AHS." The first story the show will tackle is the O.J. Simpson case.

Season 1, which will be 10 episodes, is titled "American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson" and will be based on Jeffrey Toobin's book, "The Run of His Life: The People v. O.J. Simpson." The series was originally in development at Fox, but has since moved to FX. The network's CEO, John Landgraf, said in a statement that he hopes the show will "become a series of great true crime-based miniseries." With "True Detective," FX's "Fargo" and the recent return of "Twin Peaks," it seems like the dark crime dramas are bound to take over television.

In a statement, Murphy said he's been looking for the right concept to extend the "AHS" brand. "The O.J. case was as tragic as it was fascinating -- it seemed like everyone had a stake in the outcome," Murphy said. "It was really the beginning of the modern tabloid." The first season will tell the story from the lawyer's perspective while also recounting the LAPD's history with the African-American community.

Murphy, who will co-executive produce with Brad Falchuk, will direct the first episode of the new series, which is set to begin filming early next year. Till then, we're sure "AHS: Freak Show," which premieres on Wednesday, will keep you scared enough.

"American Horror Story: Freak Show" premieres on Wednesday, Oct. 8 at 10:00 p.m. ET on FX.

15 Must-Listen Songs To Accompany The Change Of Seasons

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Oh, autumn, how we love you so.

The leaves are doing that thing they do with the reds and oranges, warm chai and pumpkin lattes are the only appropriate beverages to order and cozy sweaters wrap around us like the "arms of a woman" (shout out to Amos Lee). Accordingly, we thought it was necessary to give you a playlist that accompanies the beauties this season promises. It's deep-toned and may make you want to cuddle. So, enjoy this music compilation alongside the glorious fall weather:

1. Fink - "Hard Believer"


2. Angnes Obel - "The Curse"


3. Hozier - "Take Me To Church"


4. Gary Clark Jr. - "When My Train Pulls In (Live Acoustic)"


5. Dan Dyer - "Love Chain"


6. TV on the Radio - "Young Liars"


7. Alt-J "Every Other Freckle"


8. Active Child - "Hanging On"


9. James Blake - "Retrograde"


10. Banks - "Waiting Game"


11. Layla - "Smokestacks"


12. RY X - "Berlin"


13. Polyenso - "Falling In Rain"


14. Copeland - "Should You Return"


15. Chet Faker - "Solo Sunrise"


In an attempt to not be predictable, we've skipped "Sweater Weather," but we totally understand if you're tempted to listen.

Photographer Mom Takes Whimsical Pictures Of Newborns

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London photographer Neli Prahova got her start taking pictures of weddings. But when she became a mother to baby Leonardo about three years ago, her creative interests shifted in a different direction.

As Prahova told The Huffington Post in an email, she felt an urge to "use my new skills as a parent to create wonderful images that other new parents would treasure forever." Adding a creative and sometimes comical flourish to newborn photography, the images Prahova captures are whimsical delights.

From dressing babies in superhero capes to hanging them on pretend clotheslines, there's no limit to the photographer's imagination. "I constantly keep an eye on props that I might use for new ideas," she said.

While Prahova noted that photographing newborns takes patience, she found that this was an important trait for parenting as well. "Patience is also the one big thing I had to learn when I become a parent. From the feeding to answering all the questions of my little one right now I think I'm still learning patience. "

Neli Prahova hopes that her photos make nice souvenirs for friends and family, as well as reminders of what it's like to be a new parent "and all of the overwhelming feelings that go with it"

Looking at these pictures of Leonardo, we're overwhelmed with sheer cuteness.



H/T BabyCenter



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Watch A 'Gilmore Girls'/'Twin Peaks' Intro Credits Mash-Up, Because Small Town Life

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In case your Facebook newsfeed hadn't yet convinced you, there is now even more evidence that "Gilmore Girls" and "Twin Peaks" are the only television shows that matter right now.

YouTube user Jamison Hermann put together a mash-up of the two series' opening credits, cleverly titled "Lead Me To Twin Peaks." Yay for TV series about small towns!

We must say, Twin Peaks does look a little more inviting with the Carole King tune in the background. Maybe we'll even find a bespectacled troubadour playing guitar on a street corner.

And in case you need a reminder: Here are the original "Twin Peaks" and "Gilmore Girls" intros.

'Get On Up's' Chadwick Boseman: Black Actors Are 'Up Against Odds'

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When Chadwick Boseman was first approached to play James Brown in "Get On Up," his first thought was "I definitely do not want to do another biopic." The actor was coming off playing Jackie Robinson in "42" and was looking for something "more contemporary, maybe something that was more action oriented," he told HuffPost Live in an interview on Monday.

But black actors are denied such opportunities, Scott Mendelson argued in a piece for Forbes.com. He wrote:

"Chadwick Boseman may be being courted for every would-be biopic of every famous black historical figure around, but why is the obviously talented and painfully charismatic actor not being courted for the kind of projects that routinely end up starring the likes of Ryan Reynolds or Chris Pine?


Boseman recognizes this reality, but doesn't entirely agree.

"There definitely is a starring vehicle, but this is a business and a machine, to a certain degree," he explained. "It's all about the machine realizing that it's a viable thing to make a black actor a star, and I think that's a struggle."

And while the 37-year-old regrets the ongoing challenge of securing certain parts as a black actor, he chooses not to harp on it.

"It's always been a struggle," he said. "I know I'm up against odds that are not necessarily as fair or the same, but I can't focus on it."

Watch the rest of Chadwick Boseman's conversation with HuffPost Live here.

Sign up here for Live Today, HuffPost Live's new morning email that will let you know the newsmakers, celebrities and politicians joining us that day and give you the best clips from the day before!

Meet Jyoti Amge, The 'World's Smallest Woman' From 'AHS: Freak Show'

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Last week, FX introduced two "extra-ordinary" cast members of "American Horror Story: Freak Show" in mini-documentaries: Mat Fraser, who plays "Paul the Illustrated Seal," and Rose Siggins, who plays "Legless Suzi."

In a new mini-doc, Jyoti Amge, the "world's smallest woman," according to the Guinness Book of Records, speaks about her role as Ma Petite, Elsa Mars' (Jessica Lange) assistant. Amge says that it was always her dream to go to Hollywood to be an actress, and now "AHS" is fulfilling that dream. "I love acting in this show, and am just really excited to be here," she said.

Amge said that even though "Freak Show" has some scary moments, she doesn't want audiences to be scared by the characters. "These people are not freaks," she said. "They are normal in every way."

"American Horror Story: Freak Show" premieres Wednesday, Oct. 8, at 10:00 p.m. ET on FX.

Tibetan Monks Create Wildly Intricate Sand Painting, Before Washing It All Away Completely

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The mandala is a spiritual symbol that represents the universe. Literally translating to "center and its surroundings," mandalas always contain a center point and a circle, surrounded by some sort of symmetrical design. They're created from sand, on paper or cloth, or built as three-dimensional models, always meticulously visualized and assembled to yield a deeper meaning.

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For two weeks, four highly respected Tibetan monks, Venerable Gelong Kalsang Rinpoche, Venerable Lama Nawang Thogmed, Lama Nawang Samten Lhundrup, and Lama Dorji Sherpa, will collaborate on a sacred sand painting meant to incite boundless compassion for all living things in the viewer. Over the course of 14 days, the monks will carefully apply millions of grains of colored sand onto a flat surface, following the same instructions that governed Tibetan monks thousands of years ago.

This particular mandala represents Chenrezig, the embodiment of the compassion of all Buddhas combined. To echo the spirit of compassion, the participating monks will gather in prayer and meditation sessions, also known as puja, at the start and close of each day. Viewers are invited to partake in this ritual as well. After the creation of the mandala is complete, the entire work is dismantled, every grain of sand tossed into the ocean. In the dissolution ceremony at the close of the mandala's creation, a blessing is recited as the sand grains are offered up to the sea.

Viewers are invited to watch the four Tibetan monks partake in this ancient ritual at The Hammer Museum until the work's completion on October 12, 2014. "Mandalas of Compassion" is presented in collaboration with Ari Bhöd, the American Foundation for Tibetan Cultural Preservation. To see mandala-centric artwork with a sci-fi twist, check out Saya Woolfalk's recent work.

This 'Eyes Of Hitchcock' Supercut Will Haunt Your Dreams For Days

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Eyes of Hitchcock from Criterion Collection on Vimeo.



If you're craving all the expertly crafted suspense of an Alfred Hitchcock film but don't have the time to watch all the twists and turns unfold, may we humbly suggest this Criterion Collection supercut entitled "Eyes of Hitchcock." As the title suggests, the short video features a slew of ocular closeups, sparing all the background information and focusing on the visceral intensity of the moment. It's a cinephile-on-the-go's fantasy.

Watch above and see your favorite eyeballs from "Psycho," "Vertigo," and all the hits come to life in the haunting short above. And just think, as you're watching them... they're watching you.

For more things Hitchcock, check out our list of 19 rare Hitchcock films you should watch ASAP.

The Book We're Talking About: 'On Immunity' By Eula Biss

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On Immunity: An Inoculation
by Eula Biss
Graywolf Press, $24.00
Published Sept. 30, 2014

What we think:


Biss' attempt to uncover the way we discuss and experience vaccination takes an effective two-pronged approach: She shares her earliest, most traumatic memories of motherhood, and delves deeply into the history and semantics of disease.





The doctors who recommend vaccinations and the parents who oppose them are often described in the media as warring or feuding -– militaristic language that may not overstate the dearly held sympathies of both parties. Still, such wordage may be construed as sensational. Eula Biss, the author of On Immunity: An Inoculation, a new book that colors historical and scientific explorations of vaccination with related personal troubles, would disagree. Metaphors, she believes, are essential to our understanding of the natural world. They’re especially vital to our conception of disease and immunity.

Immunologists, she writes, imbue our cells with “essentially human characteristics,” by describing them as communicators and interpreters. And the warlike descriptors extend far beyond our conversational tendency to say we’re “fighting” a cold. Cells employ “mines.” The immune system “detonates.” Such metaphors can help us imagine the details of a complex system, but, at the same time, they pose a threat to individuals who have been wrongly targeted as the source of disease -– low-income communities, and, often, mothers.

The plague was linked with the “filth” of society’s lower echelons, when in fact the disease was in no way connected to dirt. Likewise, as Susan Sontag noted in AIDS and Its Metaphors, the language used to discuss HIV/AIDS created a frustrating stigma surrounding the disease. Biss harnesses these harmful historical discussions of illness to make an argument about why some mothers adamantly oppose vaccinating their children. Women have not always been treated kindly when it comes to laying blame for misunderstood disorders; “refrigerator mothers” were an explanation for autism, anxious mothers offered the same for schizophrenia.

It’s no wonder, then, that women would seek solace in a world that eschews these damning words and prejudices –- holistic medicine, which uses vaguely positive-sounding terms (“detox,” “cleanse”) in place of aggressive, accusing ones.

Biss is not, as some reviewers have claimed, writing off the value -– the dire importance, even –- of vaccination. She gives due credit to the benefits of herd immunity, and romanticizes the concept of sacrificing the individual for the greater good (she touchingly cites a "Star Trek" episode in which a crew crashes their ship for the sake of an alternate, warless reality to make her point). She notes early on that today, vaccinating your children could protect lower-income citizens who haven’t yet acquired the time or money to do the same.

Instead, the book is, as its subtitle states, “an inoculation,” a word that originally meant “implant a bud into a plant.” It is an attempt to fully embody existing beliefs and practices related to vaccination. In doing so, Biss weaves her own life in with her research. In a matter-of-fact yet meandering fashion that fans of Joan Didion and Karl Ove Knaussgaard alike are sure to appreciate, Biss allows herself to amble from a walk with her toddler to an unraveling of the etymology of “germ.” The result is a pleasurable, focused journey that will, at the very least, enhance readers’ understanding of our minds and bodies.

What other reviewers think:
The Los Angeles Times: "What Biss is getting at is distrust of the other, an epidemic that cuts both ways. We live in a culture that prides itself on being rational, when in fact we are as governed by superstitions, suppositions, as we ever were."

The New York Times: "What she seems to be suggesting is that knowledge isn’t an inoculation. It doesn’t happen just once. There are things that must be learned and learned again, seen first with the mind and felt later in the body."

NPR: "Resistance to vaccination has existed nearly as long as vaccination itself. And Biss found that questions about vaccination were also questions about environmentalism, citizenship and trust in the government."

Who wrote it?
Eula Biss is a critic and essayist whose Notes from No Man's Land earned her a National Book Critics Circle award.

Who will read it?
Those interested in narrative nonfiction and, of course, the dueling viewpoints on vaccination. Also, anyone with a penchant for semiotics.

Opening lines:
"The first story I ever heard about immunity was told to me by my father, a doctor, when I was very young. It was the myth of Achilles, whose mother tried to make him immortal. She burned away his mortality with fire, in one version of the story, and Achilles was left impervious to injury everywhere except the back of his heel, where a poisoned arrow would eventually wound and kill him."

Notable passage:
"Attitudes toward the state easily translate into attitudes toward vaccination, in part because the body is such a ready metaphor for the nation. The state has a head, of course, and the government has arms, with which it can overreach its power."

'God Only Knows' Reworking With Lorde, Elton John & 25 Other Artists Debuts From BBC

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To mark the launch of BBC Music, all of BBC's television, radio and online networks premiered the track and video for a reworking of the Beach Boys' "God Only Knows."

Featuring a star-studded lineup of 27 artists that includes song’s original writer and creator, Brian Wilson, as well as Sir Elton John, One Direction, Stevie Wonder, Pharrell Williams, Lorde, Sam Smith, Dave Grohl and many more -- working under the name "The Impossible Orchestra" -- the 1966 classic is given new life. The promotional film, created by Karmarama, was shot in the Alexandra Palace Theatre, home of the first ever BBC broadcast over 90 years ago.

“I just feel so incredibly humbled that the BBC would choose 'God Only Knows' to promote their new music initiative," Wilson said in a statement. "All of the artists did such a beautiful job I can’t thank them enough. I’m just honored that 'God Only Knows' was chosen. 'God Only Knows' is a very special song. An extremely spiritual song and one of the best I’ve ever written.”

The Impossible Orchestra's "God Only Knows" will be available for download starting at midnight Tuesday, all proceeds going to BBC Children In Need.

Watch the video above.

Doris Duke's Stunning Hawaii Bedroom Is Finally Open To The Public

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HONOLULU (AP) -- American tobacco heiress Doris Duke fell in love with Islamic art and culture during her honeymoon through the Middle East and Asia in 1935.

So much so that she commissioned a bedroom and bathroom inspired by the Taj Mahal, the mausoleum in India built by a 17th century emperor for his favorite wife.

The marble- and mirror-lined private living quarters will be opened to the public for the first time this weekend in Hawaii after years of extensive repairs and restoration.

(Story continues below...)
mughal 1

Duke, who died in 1993, never explained what prompted her to build a house with architectural elements of Syria and India in the oceanfront home she built in Honolulu or to collect items such as 13th century Persian tiles.

Deborah Pope, executive director of the home that's been functioning as a museum of Islamic art since 2002, said Duke was drawn to cultures different from the elite East Coast society of her youth. She also loved things of beauty.

"I think she's an aesthete," Pope said, sitting on a red settee in Duke's bedroom.

mughal entrance

The bedroom is located at the end of an open-air passageway extending from the main courtyard of the home that Duke called Shangri La. A perforated marble door, or jali, made by artisans in India opens to a tiled room. Light pours from more jali doors facing the ocean and garden.

The highlight, however, might be the bathroom lined with marble that's been inlaid with precious stones in the shape of tulips, anemone and other flowers.

mughal bathroom

Most of the rest of the 14,000-square-foot house, including the grand foyer and living room, have been open to the public and scholars for more than a decade. But the bedroom and bathroom -- called the Mughal Suite after the period when Islamic emperors ruled what is today India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh -- was closed while the roof was repaired.

Sugata Ray, a University of California, Berkeley professor, said the bath is important for scholars studying an early 20th century revival in Mughal arts and craft techniques.

The 18th century earrings and necklaces on display in the suite are unique because few of Duke's contemporaries bought and preserved such things.

mughal stones
This wall panel, made of marble and semiprecious stones, is part of the restored bathroom within Doris Duke's Mughal suite.

"It gives a sense of the diversity of Islamic art," said Ray, who specializes in the study of South Asia and Islamic art. "It's not just about masterworks but about everyday objects of the Mughal elite: jewelry, textiles and things that were really not fashionable in the 1930s as a collector's item."

Ray noted Duke later began buying masterpieces -- such as a 13th century Persian tile piece called a mihrab -- as she began to see her home as a center for the study of Islamic art.

Duke commissioned the Mughal Suite while in India during her 10-month honeymoon. She initially envisioned it as a section of her mother-in-law's estate in Palm Beach, Florida, but decided to build her own place in Hawaii after stopping in the islands on the way home.

doris duke james cromwell
Doris Duke and husband James Cromwell in the Jali Pavilion at Shangri La in 1939.

Pope said she wanted the room to capture the moment when Duke, as a 22-year-old, has a profound experience in India while traveling outside the U.S. and Europe for the first time. The Shangri La team of curators and conservationists consulted 1930s photographs to restore the rooms to what they looked like when the home was first built.

"I thought there was something valid in showing what makes this young woman fall in love with the Islamic world at such an early age and undertake a project of this scale," Pope said.

Duke died at the age of 80 in Los Angeles. She established the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art in her will and stipulated that her home be open to the public and scholars.

Lorelai's Worst Outfits In Season 1 Of 'Gilmore Girls'

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Let the record show that we love Lorelai Gilmore. We love her for her coffee addiction, her monologues, her snow obsession, her appetite, her independence, her relationship with Rory and for a trillion other things that make her the coolest mom in Stars Hollow. We do not, however, love her outfits in Season 1 of "Gilmore Girls."

Costume designers Caroline B. Marx and Robin Lewis-West, not to mention the year 2000, are to blame for the sartorial misses. They've got her in triangle headscarves, rhinestone embellishments and scarves attached to dresses that look like they came from the sale section of a Delia's catalogue. It's a pure delight to re-watch the first season of "Gilmore Girls" (new to Netflix!), but the binge-watching is now paired with screams of "WTF are you wearing?!?!?!?!?!" Lorelai Gilmore, we forgive you, but we will never forget your patterned short-sleeved turtlenecks.

Episode 2
What: Laundry Lorelai
Where: Rory's first day at Chilton
season 1 episode 2

Episode 3
What: Work Wedding Appropriate Lorelai
Where: Independence Inn
purple scarf thing

Episode 4
What: B52s Skirt Suit Lorelai
Where: Parent Teacher Night at Chilton
b52 skirt suit

Episode 4
What: Cool Mom Lorelai
Where: Home
cheetah

Episode 4
What: Matchy Matchy Lorelai
Where: Stars Hollow
matching

Episode 4
What: Wild at Work Lorelai
Where: Independence Inn
zebra blouse

Episode 6
What: DIY Velour Gown Lorelai
Where: Rory's Birthday Party
rory birthday dress

Episode 6
What: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Lorelai
Where: Home
lorelai

Episode 7
What: Housework Lorelai
Where: Home
episode 7

Episode 9
What: Back Spasm Lorelai
Where: Home
lorelai

Episode 11
What: Ice Princess Lorelai
Where: Home, post-ice skating
skating

Episode 12
What: Blind Date Lorelai
Where: Stuffy French Restaurant
lorelai

Episode 13
What: Coyote Ugly Lorelai
Where: Luke's
lorelai

Episode 13
What: Pro-America Lorelai
Where: Home
lorelai

Episode 14
What: Short-Sleeved Turtleneck Lorelai
Where: Home
lorelai

Episode 18
What: Funky Work Lorelai
Where: Independence Inn
funky work lorelai

Episode 19
What: Are You Kidding Me With This Newspaper Print/City Name Blouse Lorelai
Where:Independence Inn
lorelai

Jukely Unlimited Gets You Into As Many Concerts As You Want For $25 Per Month

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Concert addicts, rejoice: The Netflix of live performances has finally arrived.

Jukely, an iOS app that helps users find concerts nearby and connects them with other music-lovers, launched its Unlimited service on Wednesday. The service allows individuals to attend all the concerts they want from participating venues and promoters for $25 per month. As shows become available, Jukely will notify subscribers, who can RSVP for them online. Names will be added to a list, which means subscribers will just have to show their ID at the door the night of the event.

“We created Jukely to make it easier for music fans around the world to discover and enjoy new live music, and with Jukely Unlimited we couldn’t be more excited to take this to the next level by offering unlimited concerts in your area,” Jukely Co-Founder Bora Celik said in a statement. “Jukely Unlimited couldn’t be easier to use –- it even does the planning on its own and presents subscribers with the option to attend a broad range of shows!”

As of now, Unlimited will only be functioning with 17 venues in New York City -- more cities and venues to be added in the near future -- and currently everyone must request an invite and be selected for the service.

Jai Courtney Praises Angelina Jolie, Fans Oscar Flames For 'Unbroken'

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Though the movie doesn't come out until Christmas, Angelina Jolie's upcoming film "Unbroken" is already garnering plenty of Oscar hype. One of the film's stars, Jai Courtney, stopped by HuffPost Live on Wednesday and did nothing to quash the buzz.

Courtney said Jolie was a "fantastic" director for the film, which is based on the story of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic track star taken captive by Japanese soldiers during World War II.

"By the time I sort of bagged a role in it, I'd been in for several different ones. It was literally one of those cases where it was like, 'I don't care what I play, I just want to be a part of this movie,'" Courtney told host Ricky Camilleri.

Courtney, of "Divergent" fame, will star alongside Jack O'Connoll, Domnhall Gleeson and Garrett Hedlund in the film.

Watch the rest of the clip above, and catch the full HuffPost Live conversation here.

Sign up here for Live Today, HuffPost Live's new morning email that will let you know the newsmakers, celebrities and politicians joining us that day and give you the best clips from the day before!

The Writing On The Walls: A Glimpse Of Graffiti And Street Art Around The Globe

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Welcome to "Moving Image," our weekly roundup of beautiful photographs that tell stories from around the globe.


Art or vandalism? Improving a space or destroying it? When it comes to graffiti and street art, the lines are blurry and the aesthetic appeal is often in the eyes of the beholder.

But regardless of which side of the line you find yourself, the proliferation of outdoor artworks proves that urban artistry isn't isolated to one city, one country or one culture. With that in mind, we challenged our photographer friends over at EyeEm to send us their best shots of street art around the world. These are the results.







submit images here

You can also submit photos to us via the hashtag #writingonthewall!

Stephen Collins Pulled From Upcoming 'Scandal' Episode

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One day after TMZ released an audio recording of Stephen Collins allegedly confessing to child molestation, the former "7th Heaven" star was pulled from an upcoming episode of "Scandal."

"We can confirm that we will not be airing any footage with Stephen Collins," ABC said in a statement to HuffPost Entertainment. Collins had tweeted about filming the episode last month.




Collins had previously appeared in Season 2 of "Scandal" when he guest starred as reporter Reed Wallace in "Happy Birthday, Mr. President."

"Ted 2," which is currently in production, also fired Collins after the NYPD opened an investigation into the actor's alleged crimes.
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