anz10 Reviews

Marina Abramovic: The Artist Is Present (2012)

Moved me to tears..

[10/10 · 21 May 2014]

I have heard of Marina Abramovic but didn't know much about her and was scared it would all be a bit pretentious or she wouldn't be any good or to my taste, (even though I like modern art, but not all of it of course) but I found her truly inspiring, not only that but she is truly down to earth and real, she truly believes in her work and went to great lengths for her art and still does, her life story is telling of this and very engrossing. The exercises she puts the young people through whom she entrusts with reproducing her work for her exhibition, also shows just how much she digs into her own being to give back to others in her art and to her students. I guess I was scared performance art wouldn't live up to what I expected it to be. Whether or not you appreciate her art is not really the point to me, although many people do, it's more important that it comes from a genuine place and that to me makes is true expression, you cannot argue with that.

The most touching part of the documentary for me however, was definitely her piece for the exhibition. Marina sat in a chair (initially with a table in between her and the person) in silence for three months, only looking up when a member of the public sat in a chair opposite her. This is no easy feat if you consider we can't even be still for 5mins without back pain or needing to check our iPhones. The intensity and genuine affection/serenity/love and calm she gives each and every individual is deeply moving. She gives each person the attention they deserve, it moved me to tears several times, as it did some of the people sitting opposite her. It made me question just how much we truly "see" each others, or even whether we even really try often enough, how much do we truly care about someones true self and feelings, how many times do we get that attention from someone else, how many lonely people there are in the world. It also made me consider what true connection, love and acceptance can do for the human soul and for the serenity of the world in general and that we are all seeking love. The power of Buddhism and it's principles really do come to light in her work in a very real way. It's made me want to be more accepting of others and myself, it's also made me realise just how deep the need for connection truly goes. Her observation that she becomes someone's mirror and that she can feel people's pain and feelings in a gaze, was telling. I now understand even more deeply how important my need for connection truly is and how it affects me emotionally. Connecting to yourself, others and your "art" or whatever makes you happy is more important than ever in this super busy hyper world, be still and re-focus :)

Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer (2003)

More questions than answers!

[7/10 · 21 April 2014]

Personally I feel like this documentary ultimately raised more than questions than it gave answers. She said felt bad for the victim's family but never clarified whether it was definitely self deafens or not. I understand that she may have just wanted to die because she could not longer take death row or she didn't want to clarify her full story because she didn't want to give people more tidbits for a film, but surely the families deserve a straight answer. I'm not sure whether Aileen was a master manipulator with a sociopath tendency to lie and keep us guessing in order to play mind games so she isn't seen as the bad guy (which keeps her fascinating) or whether she truly just wanted to die or didn't want to give the police more info for a film, hmm. When she says "I'll kill again" does she mean it?! it is not that far fetched considering she killed not 1,2 or 3 but 7 men.. and if it was self deafens, how come not one of those men overpowered her to the point of taking her gun? or something like that.. more questions?? Then again why confess to the camera it was a robbery scenario and then say to the interviewer that you just said that for the cameras?! (when she didn't know the camera is still rolling) or did she just not want to lose her new friend's sympathy?? or?..

Another thing I noted was her ability to have a crazy scary mad look in her eye when she got mad, it sent chills, maybe this is what the victims saw, a crazy sociopath look before she killed them.. or was she just that mad at the justice system and everyone around her, in any case she had/developed some serious anger issues which were scary.

Yes, don't get me wrong I feel very sorry her early life and the fact that she never really stood a chance at a normal life, but again a question, did she really have NO other choice than go out and prostitute again if she was THAT scared of getting attacked/raped again.. Wouldn't you be so scared/guilty about what happened with the other 6 men that you would not go the 7th time? If it was self defence could she not just shoot them in the foot? It is not entirely the police's fault that she was not caught at the 1st man, for her crime spree, in the last interview she did not fully admit her own part in it, which I found disturbing, although I do understand and can tell that she was also (faking or not) had mental problems but not to the extent that she couldn't see her own guilt in my opinion. I don't think anyone will fully understand Aileen, was she born somewhat evil and people saw it in her and treated her badly (though even that is no excuse for what she went through!!!), did evil make her this way or was it a 50/50 split? I honestly believe her background definitely influences her and it definitely reflects badly on us as a society and teaches us lessons, but not to the extent that it totally takes away free will, no, that is wrong, many people have gone through awful childhoods (maybe not many as bad as hers) but they did not kill 7 men, then again not many children end up adult hitch hiking prostitutes but still. Although this is the 1st thing I have seen on Aileen (so I may change my mind) I struggle to find as much sympathy for her as others have given her... There are too many questions raised for me to feel really sympathetic towards her, although there is definitely some sympathy for her past and that she ended up with no future. I understand her past was dreadful and the inclination to be a killer, but did she absolutely have to take that path? no less than 7 times?? especially if she was capable of such insight at times during her interviews.. Another question that came up for me are we been taken for a ride by a sociopath/narcissistic mind ?? after all serial killers are noted for that kind of thing, feeling faking, playing games, sparing their own egos by not blaming themselves too much etc .. hmm.. so many questions... Personally though, I don't believe in the death penalty, my main reason being is that it makes us almost as bad as the person who killed.. How can the person who injects the poison live with themselves? I know I couldn't, nothing could convince me 100% that I have the right to choose who lives or dies, especially since the police is not always right.