Blessings #19

Cat Power - Sun (2012)

That voice! The siren song that called him again and again. He wasn't stalking her, although there had been a restraining order and a few nights in the cold confinements of a jail cell. It was natural at first, after seeing him in the front row of show after show after show. What else was she going to do? There were some sick people out there who have done some horrible things. He didn't hold it against her but he would never hurt her. He simply wanted to hear her voice. In person, on the radio, from a  CD, on his ipod; it didn't matter where or how. He just had to hear it at least once a day, preferably even more than that. Her song was the muse for his life. It gave him reason and he learned so much with every new syllable that was uttered. And after awhile, she began to understand that he wasn't a threat to her. She began to appreciate his presence at her shows. It became a comfort for her. She even let him star in one of her videos. It was a strange partnership that bloomed between the dark and light of audience and stage. Weird but rewarding, in a way. Some day it would all change. Her voice would shudder and sound different or she would quit altogether. He could find another place that would hold his attention, perhaps, an intimacy with another soul that was out there for him. Who knew? All things were bound to end but until it happened, he would cherish her voice because it was something special in this life.

Swimming Pool - Fracois Ozon (2003)


Francois Ozon creates this masterful thriller about a successful mystery writer who needs to escape from her work, which has grown tiresome for her. Sarah Morton, played by the great Charlotte Rampling, has hit the metaphorical wall that so many writer's face during their career. She's pretty much fed up with what has brought her so much success, a string of books with a very popular detective as the protagonist. Her publisher suggests that she borrow his country home, in order to get some much needed rest, with the hopes that it will help her overcome her writer's block. After a few days at the house, where she does very little except sleep in the sun around the swimming pool in the backyard and visit the cafe in the nearby town, Sarah is woken in the middle of the night by the young nubile daughter of her publisher, who had no clue that someone would be staying there. They agree to a tentative arrangement where they both can stay and then the story gets interesting. A sexually explosive mystery begins to unfold and the two women must rely on one another to survive the ordeal. What's so amazing about this film is it's vivid portrayal of the creative process. Instead of simply telling us the story that is in Sarah's imagination, Ozon allows it to unfold in intriguing fashion. When you get to the end, you are simply stunned by everything that happened and the mystery turns into a blessed display of art. Lovely!